


Gaining Interest

by Ambler



Category: ARH, Always Raining Here
Genre: M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2017-12-12 19:15:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/815049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambler/pseuds/Ambler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carter and Adrian are happily married, living life comfortably with their son Vinny. Carter works as an investment banker while Adrian takes the reluctant housewife role, staying home and making sure it doesn't burn to the ground. But what happens when one of Carter's clients becomes a bit overzealous? Is she looking for more than just a good reference for financial advice?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Work Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VyTheFirst](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=VyTheFirst).



> This story is based heavily on a headcannon that a friend of mine ([VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)) wrote, and I offered to put it in fic form. She also offered to illustrate it (with beautiful art as always) for a few scenes in the story, which I'll place throughout. Go follow her on tumblr [here](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/) and look at more of her stuff, because she's awesome and creative and has the best headcanons ever that she lets me play with!

AYEEEEEEEEP. AYEEEEEEEEP. AYEEEEEEEEP.

Adrian groaned, rolling over laboriously to silence the offending alarm. It was a grating noise, much more annoying than necessary so early in the morning. He supposed it was meant to be loud enough to wake them up, but of course Carter slept through the thing. He didn’t doubt that Carter could sleep through a hurricane if Adrian wasn’t around to rouse him.

He felt around blindly and punched the ‘sleep’ button. This only meant that he would hear the same noise in exactly three minutes, but he was too busy waking up to care about that just yet.

They had made the unfortunate decision of staying up rather late last night. Carter had had a long day at work, and Adrian a long day of running errands, yet they still had partaken in rather vigorous activities well into the night within the confines of their bedroom…

He was still a bit sore, but one thing at a time.

Adrian groaned again, scrubbed his hands once over his face, and sat up. The thick blanket pulled along with him, shielding his otherwise exposed lower half. He supposed he should change the comforter now, since spring had already descended on them. Not that it was sunny here often, for it always seemed to be raining no matter the season, but the air was more humid in the warmer months. His eyes wandered to the window, expecting to see the usual clouds and gloom.

But they were absent. Instead shone a cheerful sun, against all odds. He smiled slightly, knowing of a little boy who would be delighted to finally break in his new bicycle, one that he had discovered under the tree last Christmas from ‘Santa’.

That guy got all the credit. Santa wasn’t the one who had to struggle through the door with the thing, trying to be quiet so as to not wake the sleeping boy…

Adrian recalled then trying to wrap the bike, after which they gave up and just put a bow on the handlebars. But then his gaze fell from the window to a blatantly naked, and still snoring, Carter. He rolled his eyes.

Yes, this was the elegance of his husband. The sprawled form, completely bare of all clothing, spread out on his stomach above the blanket for the world to see. Limbs were thrown haphazardly and at odd angles. He slept like an eggbeater. This was the man that got up every day, put on his $250 business suit, and commanded a boardroom on occasion or haggled with clients in a professional setting. They had no idea that their beloved Mr. Brooks slept with all the elegance of his five-year-old son. No wonder Vinny’s bed always looked like a powerful force had ravaged it during the night. Carter had somehow transferred that trait over through his DNA and corrupted their child.

At least he had inherited those beautiful blue eyes, which made up for Carter’s genetic habits.

AYEEEEEEEEP. AYEEEEEEEEP. AYEEEEE –

“Eurgh, alright,” he said agitatedly, slapping the proper ‘off’ button this time. It shut the alarm up for good, until it had the chance to annoy him tomorrow.

It was going to be another long day.

“Baby,” Adrian mumbled, his voice still rough with sleep. He leaned over and kissed the side of Carter’s face.

No reaction.

“Carter, baby, wake up,” he said a bit louder, nudging more insistently against Carter’s cheek. His response was to mutter something incoherent and scrunch up his nose in annoyance. But when Adrian put a hand in his dark hair, ruffling it to get his attention, he reluctantly opened his eyes.

“Mmm…” Carter whined, closing them again.

Adrian laughed, pushing himself up to lean back against the headboard.

“Don’t pretend you’re not awake, because I saw you,” he said, smirking. “If you’re tired, it’s your own fault.”

“Can’t help it,” said a sleepy voice from around his navel. “Can’t resist…sexy…”

Adrian snorted and looked down to see the disheveled man beside him, tufts of black hair sticking up at random and splayed out on the pillow. He could remember only last night, running his hands through those silky strands…

Adrian cleared his throat and moved to get up.

“Don’t go back to sleep, okay?” he said firmly, standing from the bed. Carter made a noncommittal noise, which meant that Adrian would no doubt be prying him from the mattress in twenty more minutes. He shook his head and stumbled across the room to find his clothes.

After some searching in the semi-darkness, he found his discarded pyjama bottoms on the floor. Carter had managed to throw them pretty far in his haste, apparently…

He pulled on a Zelda T-shirt as well, and shuffled out into the hallway to head towards the kitchen.

Despite the fact that it caused a slight bump to his pride, Adrian was the one who stayed home. While Carter was off being a big important banker guy, he was the one who cleaned the house, did the dishes, made meals and kept the framework standing for when his family got home. He picked Vinny up from school, drove him to his adorable little soccer games, made snacks for gaggles of little boys that turned up for various reasons, and juggled all of his housework on top of that. Sure, he only managed to fit in an audition every once in a while, and sure, he didn’t know what would happen if he actually got a part somewhere. But, despite the blow to his ego and masculinity, it was all very…nice.

He liked the fact that Carter couldn’t cook worth a damn, and that Adrian was the one who was able to bring them all together at dinner. He liked the fact that Carter would come home, give him an amorous kiss, and ask how his day went. He liked being able to care for their child and be home when they needed. It all brought him a weird sense of fulfillment that he hadn’t anticipated. When they worked out that Adrian would stay home for Vinny's first few years, he had been reluctant. But no, here he was, enjoying the role he had accepted so hesitantly. He was the caretaker, the one who ran everything behind the curtain. He was the foundation for their family.

He was a soccer mom.

Adrian grimaced, mostly at himself, as he took a carton of eggs out of the fridge. He set them on the counter, gathered his other ingredients in the same manner, and set about making breakfast.

He knew eggs were a perfect source of protein, and liked to make sure that Vinny was able to concentrate during the day with a good breakfast in him. Bacon was also good for giving him the energy he needed for running around like any boy tended to do, and Carter definitely liked having meat at any meal, really. Adrian never did reveal that what he actually cooked was turkey bacon, and Carter couldn’t seem to tell the difference. It had been incredibly hard to conceal the fact and not rub it in his husband’s face, since Carter has been insistent that he could most definitely discern between the two, and he wanted ‘real pig, not that other stuff’.

Adrian smirked, laying down the thin strips onto the frying pan. This ‘other stuff’ had much less fat, and with the way Carter always horfed down so many pieces at breakfast, it was safer this way.

He stirred the eggs in their own pan, staring idly at the wall. His own mind was still waking up, trying with great effort to remember what he had to do today. The tires on his car needed replacing, so he had to take it into the shop and probably wait three hours. Also, the bathrooms could use a good wash. They were having company tomorrow, and Adrian always hated when the house wasn’t clean with people over. It was almost a bid to prove that he himself could handle raising a child. He could handle making a house presentable while being married to another man, proving his parents wrong in their assumptions that they never really voiced, but that he knew were there. They were waiting for him to fail. Well, not tomorrow. Dinner would be yet another chance to prove them wrong, and with Maria as a witness.

He glanced over at the calendar, wondering if he had written anything on it as a reminder. It felt like something else was nagging at his mind, something that he either had to do today or this week…

His eyes caught sight of disjointed handwriting in orange crayon. Vinny had taken it upon himself to mark the calendar for today, but what did it say? He squinted, making out the scribbled words ‘woRk’ and ‘dAy’.

“Oh, right,” Adrian mumbled, speaking to an empty room.

He had forgotten about the school closing today. A newsletter had been sent home, diligently delivered to him by Vinny, that had explained a ‘Career Experience Day’ for the kids. There would be no class scheduled for this particular Wednesday, and instead the parents were to bring their children to their workplace in order to experience what a job was like. The children would then share about it the following day in class. It was a good thing Vinny had written it on the calendar, otherwise he would have been waiting outside the deserted school due to his idiot father.

Adrian turned the stovetop to ‘low’ and retreated back through the hallway. Carter was no doubt still asleep, and he didn’t want breakfast to get cold while everyone was still waking up. He entered their bedroom first, shaking Carter awake and demanding that he get up. Adrian knew the only possible way to ensure that Carter was awake was to watch him physically get out of the bed and begin to put on clothes, so he did just that.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Carter said blearily, shuffling over to their closet. He threw open the door and stepped inside, rummaging around for one of his suits, no doubt.

“I believe you,” Adrian laughed, standing outside the door. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, speaking loudly so that Carter could hear. “Don’t forget that today’s career day at school. I’m gonna go ask Vinny who he wants to be with today, though I don’t need three guesses to figure it out.”

Carter laughed, though it was muffled.

“Yeah, okay. Ouch, goddammit, can you turn on the light?”

Adrian flicked the switch before heading back out into the hallway, this time down two doors to their son’s room. On the outside of this particular door was a large dry-erase board, which had a badly crafted picture of a monkey and the words ‘Carter wuz here’. He shook his head and opened it softly.

Of course, the boy was out like a light. It took so much effort to get him to sleep on time, sometimes even with a bit of bribing, but when that kid’s head hit the pillow, he was out for a solid nine hours minimum. Adrian watched, unable to prevent that bubbling sensation in the pit of his stomach. That feeling of pure love for his son, for the child he and Carter raised. The little boy who was currently drooling on his pillow and sprawled out on his bed, just like his Daddy.

Adrian walked over, crouched down, and ruffled that already mussed hair.

“Vinny,” he said lowly, trying not to startle him awake the way he himself so hated. “Bud, wake up.”

Vinny opened his large blue eyes, though barely. His face was smashed against the pillow, making his cheek push out in a humorous way. But then, he lifted his head and rolled over, rubbing his eyes slowly.

“Mnnnnnnnn, Papa,” he whined, blinking slowly.

Adrian laughed, knowing the tone as one he heard every weekday morning. Twice, if he counted Carter.

“Don’t wanna go to schooooool,” he continued, kicking out his little leg half-heartedly. “Do I have to?”

“Actually, not today,” Adrian said, and Vinny looked momentarily confused. Usually he never budged on anything so early in the game, especially when school was concerned. Adrian laughed again, standing up from his crouching position. “Remember what day it is?”

Vinny’s eyes wandered to stare off in the distance, his tired brain no doubt trying to work it out. Then his eyes brightened, and he sat bolt upright.

“Oh yeah!” his small voice sounded, probably carrying into the hall. “Work day!”

“Yup,” Adrian nodded, leaning on one of the bedposts. “So, do you want to go with Daddy, or stay with Papa?”

Vinny looked up at him, tilting his head slightly.

“What do you do?”

“Well, I do the laundry, shop for groceries, clean the house…”

Play Bioshock…

“I wanna go to work with Daddy!”

Adrian laughed, partially at himself. If Vinny knew how much in-between time was spent killing splicers, he would probably change his mind about going to a stuffy office all day. Not to say that waiting three hours in a mechanics shop would be all that fun.

Good thing he had his trusty PSP to take with him. What would he do without technology? Be a boring housewife, that’s what…

“Mmkay, you better get dressed buddy if you want to carpool with Daddy. What d’you want to wear?”

“What’s a carpool?” Vinny asked, but then he changed course at the speed of light. “Do I have to dress fancy like Daddy?”

Adrian imagined the nightmarish day that Vinny had last been in a suit. He had been the ring bearer for Maria’s wedding.

“No,” he said quickly, eyes wide. “You can wear your normal clothes, if you want to.”

Just then a head with artfully tousled hair peeked in, followed by the rest of Carter’s body. He was fumbling with the front of his dress shirt, where a very disheveled tie was being incorrectly knotted.

“Uh, I kind of need help with this,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Adrian rolled his eyes, but moved over to help anyways. Carter wore a tie every day for the last two months now. One would think he was used to tying them.

“Hey Daddy,” piped a higher voice, and Carter’s blue gaze flitted over Adrian’s shoulder to the small bed. “Do I have to wear a tie and stuff like you?”

Carter smirked, ignoring Adrian’s warning gaze. “Vinny, I’ll tell you this: everyone at my fancy office wears fancy fancy clothes, and you don’t want to be the only one not wearing any, do yo – ow!”

Adrian glared, hoping that smack hurt a lot more than it sounded like. Carter rubbed his arm reproachfully, but Adrian had little sympathy.

“Don’t guilt him into it,” he said sternly. “Vinny, you do what you want. Daddy’s just being a dork.”

A brief silence signaled that Vinny was taking things into heavy consideration. So many tough decisions for a five-year-old. Adrian took advantage of this pause to beat the tie into submission and push it up in a proper knot.

“I’ll wear fancy clothes,” he declared finally.

Adrian turned, seeing a resigned Vinny. “Are you sure?” he raised an eyebrow, leaning on the bedpost again.

His son nodded violently, showing no signs of turning back. Adrian sighed, wandered over to the closet, and searched the back for the small ensemble. At least now there was another use for it, other than to walk a full minute down an aisle. Plus, it did look adorable on him…

Adrian put out the small suit, even the little tie, and gave Carter a look that said ‘you are doing this’. He then returned to the kitchen so as to not set breakfast on fire, leabing his husband to his task.

After a great amount of rummaging and loud conversation coming from Vinny’s room, the two emerged from the hallway. Vinny was wearing the suit with all the right clothing in all the right places. Except the tie, of course. But something else was off, too.

“He said the shoes were too tight, so I just put his sneakers on,” Carter said, laughing. “Kid grows out of shoes like he does clothes. I’m sort of surprised the suit fits still, actually.”

Adrian saw that the black little converse didn’t clash too much with the suit, though they were clearly out of place. At least the slacks were still long enough, and the sleeves of the jacket came down to the right level. Adrian bent down, lifted Vinny up, and sat him on the countertop to be level with himself. Little legs swung idly as he did up the second tie for that morning, though this one considerably smaller and less easy to handle.

“There we go,” he said, smiling down at his son. He hoisted Vinny back down to the floor, despite the child already playing with the perfect knot around his neck.

“Thanks Papa,” he piped before tearing off and seating himself at the breakfast table.

Twenty minutes, four eggs, and thirteen slices of bacon later, his two boys headed off to the office.

“Have fun, guys,” he said, leaning out the doorway.

“Bye Adrian,” Carter said, giving him a swift kiss on the lips. “Say ‘bye', Vinny.”

“Bye Papa!” Vinny reached over from within Carter’s grasp and hugged him briefly around the neck. “I’m gonna go be a fancy worker!”

Adrian laughed, waving as Carter walked them down the front steps.


	2. Spinny Chair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this chapter is illustrated by [VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)!

“So dude, you ready to be put to work?” Carter said, leaning over his son in order to buckle the seatbelt. Fitting it over the booster seat always gave him a challenge.

Vinny giggled. “No Daddy, that’s you! I have to watch.”

“Nu-uh,” Carter smirked, straightening up again. “I’m having you do all the hard stuff today. IBD meetings, sales reports, spreadsheets… That’s all you today, little man.”

Vinny laughed harder when Carter poked his bellybutton.

“Daddy, I can’t, I don’t know how!” he squealed.

“Then I guess I have to do it. _Again._ Sheesh, when do I get a break, huh?”

He closed the door and opened the front one, flopping down in the driver’s seat. After everything was strapped down, he took inventory: seatbelt, coffee, juice, briefcase, coloring book, crayons, and emergency candy. When he was sure everything was in order (something he had long since learned to do before leaving the house with Vinny), he turned the key. The roar of the engine was heard, signaling the start of the usual hellish journey to work. He shifted into drive and pulled out onto the street.

Traffic didn’t usually get to be so awful until he reached a certain point, so Carter was able to enjoy the conversation for at least a little while. Vinny was visible directly in the rearview mirror, his little legs swinging since they were too short to touch anything. His high little voice gabbled excitedly, but Carter rather liked the company. Usually he was confined to swearing under his breath at the other idiots on the road, or to singing by himself. They talked about what Vinny was supposed to observe during work today, which moved to how Vinny was supposed to talk about it in class the next day, which moved to what had happened in school yesterday, which moved to Vinny talking about some sort of altercation in the playroom.

“And then – Daddy, and then – and then he said that it was his toy but it wasn’t! Toby brought it to school with him for show-and-tell and I saw him bring it in and David said it was his but it wasn’t!”

“Well, that David sounds like a – like he’s not very nice,” Carter said, grimacing out the windshield. He tried not to think of a certain other person with the same name who had tried to do the same damn thing to himself. Someone who was blonde and had a sickeningly nice personality that really only pissed him off even more…

“Yeah,” Vinny said, pausing for air. “But then the teacher knew it was his from show-and-tell and she said that it was okay and that David shouldn’t take stuff that isn’t his.”

“That’s right…people shouldn’t take other people’s things…”

“I don’t know what to take for next show-and-tell Daddy,” Vinny said suddenly.

Carter thought for a moment.

“What about Little Vinny?” he suggested, looking up at the mirror. He saw big Vinny crinkle his nose and laughed. “What? Don’t you think he’d like to go?”

“But…no one else has a Little Vinny…” he mumbled.

 Carter scoffed, knowing that the stuffed monkey was his favorite thing in the world. “I’m sure they do, they just don’t say. They probably don’t think it’s cool.” He glanced up again. “You don’t think it’s cool either, huh?”

Vinny shook his head.

“Well, I bet if you brought it, a lot of other kids would bring theirs. You could be a trend-setter! Also, I bet Little Vinny would like the trip…”

“Tammy brought her daddy last week,” he blurted. “Miss Strudle said it was okay, so he came in the class and she talked about him.”

Carter looked up, seeing a hopeful reflection staring back at him. A pang of guilt went through him when he realized what Vinny was obviously hinting at. But with his office being so far from Vinny’s school, and with him being busy for a vast majority of every day, the chances were slim. He had clients to meet with, reports to write, sales to analyze, and a whole mess of other things to do. It was a wonder how he even got a lunch break. Wait…

“What time is it usually at, show-and-tell?” he asked, checking over his shoulder and switching lanes at the same time.

“Ummm…after playground…” Vinny said thoughtfully.

Carter knew that after their lunch was recess, and then the kids would come in. He could take his lunch break later than usual, hurtle out to the school, and stand there while Vinny rambled for the three minutes they were allotted. He would probably have to answer questions or something, but they were five-year-olds. He had talked his way out of some sticky boardrooms in the past, controlled by billionaires, so this shouldn’t prove to be any challenge.

“So, do you want me to come to one, then?” Carter asked, smirking as he heard a gasp of delight.

“Yeah Daddy! Coooool!”

“Now wait, don’t get all excited,” he said quickly. “I’ll try, okay? But I get pretty busy sometimes, so if I say I can’t make it, I’ll try another day, alright? You’ll see how it is when we get there…” he added forebodingly.

“Thanks Daddy!” Vinny piped, sounding no less excited. Carter sighed.

The thought of having to ask his boss about that day made him realize something else. He technically hadn’t brought up the fact that he would be bringing into his office a very energetic five-year-old who could possibly be tearing around all day wreaking havoc.

“Shi – I mean – gah!” he muttered, fumbling for the phone in his pocket. Adrian always scolded him for talking on the phone while driving, but he had to warn his co-workers beforehand. Plus, the traffic was at a stand-still, so he technically wasn’t driving at the moment anyways.

Adrian always scolded him for finding loopholes, too.

“Papa doesn’t know about this,” Carter said firmly, bringing the phone up to his ear. It rang and Vinny giggled in the background.

“Weston Banking, Brooks and Williams wing, this is Brandon Williams speaking.”

The cordial, business-like tone was his co-worker Brandon.

“Hey, it’s Carter.”

“Oh, hey bro. What’s up?”

He tended to be more casual in personal conversations.

“I’m bringing my son in to work today, since it’s Career Day. Can you ask Weston if it’s okay and everything? I totally forgot to check in with him,” he said hesitantly.

There was a scoff on the other line.

“Yeah, because he totally won’t say yes anyways. You know you’re the boss’s pet, Brooks. Kiss-ass.”

Carter laughed, but stopped himself from retaliating due to the small child in his backseat.

“Anyways, just check for me, and text me to let me know what’s up. Oh, and probably give everyone else fair warning too. This little monkey can get rowdy sometimes.”

He reached back and grabbed one of Vinny’s legs, who squealed with laughter and lifted both up onto the seat, out of his reach.

“Yeah, sounds like you got your hands full there.”

“Don’t forget to text me!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

He hung up and tossed his phone onto the empty passenger’s seat. Traffic didn’t look like it was going to let up any time soon. So, he reached back to tickle Vinny some more. Anyone from the outside looking in would probably hear high-pitched laughter and screams of “No Daddy! Noooo!”

~

“Hey Casey,” Carter said in passing, to which he got a noncommittal greeting back. She looked like she was dealing with an angry customer through her headset and in no mood for small talk. But then, playing the perky secretary wasn’t really her thing anyways…

He dragged Vinny along by the hand, hearing random questions and answering them in ways he hoped wouldn’t peak further interest from the five-year-old. However, the lobby was unfortunately very interesting, and he had three minutes to be in his office…

“Daddy, who’s that?”

“He’s the doorman, Vinny, come on – ”

“WAIT I wanna say hi!”

“Ugh,” Carter sighed, backtracking slightly. “Okay, say hi and let’s go.”

“Hi doorman!”

“Uh, hello…”

“Okay, come on,” Carter urged, holding fast to the little hand. “He’ll be there when we leave too…”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a fountain. You’ve seen a fountain before, Vinny.”

“But why’s it inside?”

“Because this is a fancy place with fancy-suited people like us,” Carter said, looking down with a serious expression. Vinny’s eyes were wide, taking it all in. “Fancy people have fountains inside.”

“Can I play in it?”

“Fancy people don’t play in fountains. Especially when they have Papas at home that will kill you for ruining your suit, so let’s go.”

“But I wanna – ”

“Look!” Carter pointed suddenly, swinging his briefcase in the act. “We get to ride that up to my floor. If I tell you which button to press, can you do it?”

Vinny’s eyes got even wider, and he nodded eagerly.

Attention successfully diverted.

They walked over to the elevator, and Vinny pressed the ‘up’ button with all the finesse that was possible when pressing an ‘up’ button. They waited for a moment, and soon the doors rumbled open to let them in. A few other people got in too, and Carter had a job trying to pick Vinny up one-handed in such a cramped space. However, he managed, and set Vinny securely on his hip so that he could reach the buttons.

“Okay, press the one with ‘twenty-two’ on it,” he said carefully. Vinny had only learned to count to one-hundred recently, and still had a bit of trouble recognizing the numbers written. His little finger stayed poised for a few seconds, staring at the large grid of numbers. Carter immediately realized that this was a horrible time for a practice run…

But, sure enough, Vinny hit the right one and the round button lit up. Carter gave a mental sigh of relief.

“Excuse me, can you hit thirty as well?” the lady next to them asked kindly. She smiled when Vinny nodded in excitement.

                             

He pressed the thirtieth floor like an expert.

Carter continued to hold onto Vinny, knowing that they would move faster if the kid didn’t have the chance to veer off course. As soon as the doors clattered open to their floor, he walked brusquely out and carried Vinny into his office. As usual, when he entered his clock read exactly 9:00AM. Damn, he was good.

He set Vinny down finally, who was free to tear around the office and immediately begin examining things. He had numerous plants (all of which were fake, because everything Carter touched died shortly thereafter), photos of family, random knick-knacks that were nondescript and professional, a few clocks to remind him that time was super important, and of course the main attraction.

“Candy!” Vinny shouted, reaching a small hand towards the bowl on his desk. They were the little red kinds that tasted like cherry, because what other flavor was there, really?

“Just a few, okay?” Carter said quickly. “If you can restrain yourself, we’ll go out to lunch later.”

Vinny gasped and looked as though Christmas had come early. Really, Adrian was too stingy with all the junk food. He was always substituting things for a healthy alternative. Once the guy had even tried to replace his bacon with something other than pig meat, but Carter would have none of that. He wouldn’t touch that turkey stuff with a ten-foot pole.

But, he admitted pumping the kid full of sugar could have its downfalls, hence the bribe. After all, a chicken nugget was better than sugar, right?

Right?

He set his briefcase down on his desk and flipped it open. Vinny came over immediately to see what was inside, asking several questions about papers scattered throughout. Carter didn’t know why his son was so curious about them. They probably all looked the same to him…

But after a round of questions, and once his desk had been set up for the few appointments that day, Carter heard the words he always expected after a short silence from the child.

“Daddy, I’m bored.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be taking notes?” he smirked, seeing Vinny plop into one of the armchairs across from his desk. His short legs swung idly as he stared back.

A slight pout crossed his face, with his lower lip starting to stick out.

“I’m kidding.”

“Oh,” Vinny giggled.

“Pretty soon people are gonna be coming in, but we have a bit of time before then. Do you want to go and meet some people around the office?” he asked, standing up again. He really only had to be in his office by 9:00, mostly for show. Everyone always wandered aimlessly before their first appointment of the day. It was somewhat of a routine. Getting coffee, shuffling papers, talking about things that didn’t remotely have anything to do with work.

“Yeah,” Vinny nodded, jumping up enthusiastically.

So, Carter walked Vinny around the floor and introduced him to various co-workers. If he wasn’t currently faithful to Adrian, he undoubtedly would have gotten at least six phone numbers that day due to Vinny’s naturally adorable nature. The kid took after his Daddy, what could he say.

The women fawned over him, and the child took the attention like a pro. Some of the other guys smiled knowingly at Carter, letting him know in their own way that they also thought he was the cutest thing on earth. Vinny was a force to be reckoned with. Brandon even gave him a little fist-bump, which Vinny seemed to be highly excited over. As he worked the crowd, Carter would get whispers of compliments for his little suit, how sweet he was, and how much they looked alike. Carter would nod and smile, thanking them as usual, but that only displayed a fraction of the glowing pride he felt inside.

When they had finished making their rounds, Carter returned them to his office and gave Vinny one of his coloring books. Spongebob should keep him company for a while, since he was currently being given a purple hue. Vinny was always…creative in his color choices.

His first meeting started easy enough. He explained a few investment changes to his client, who wasn’t overly wealthy and was looking for him to change that. Carter advised him based on recent surveys that had just come in, marking one territory better than the man’s current investment. He had written a short report, even though the client hadn’t asked for it. Carter never liked to leave his customers hanging on vague bits of information. The man thanked him profusely for his hard work, and told him that he should get a promotion for such dedication.

“Oh, thanks,” he said, laughing nervously.

They shook hands, the client thanking him again, and he left. Carter sat back down and grabbed a piece of candy from his bowl. Each one was sort of a victory celebration for a successful meeting. Though, he had them after bad meetings too, in order to make himself feel better.

Who was he kidding? He just really liked candy.

Carter peered over the edge of his desk to see that Vinny had moved to the floor, sprawled out in a corner and scribbling furiously. Lately he had been trying to stay inside the lines to practice. His teacher had suggested it, and Vinny took up the challenge with devotion.

“Let’s see,” Carter said through the cherry-flavored orb.

Vinny dropped a neon blue crayon and held up a ghastly picture. Carter knew starfish weren’t meant to be that color, but the outlines weren’t breached as much as usual. It looked like the starfish had been out of water for several hours and was in danger of suffocation.

“Beautiful,” he said, nodding. He saved his look of alarm until after Vinny looked away. An art degree probably wasn’t in his son’s future, but that didn’t make it any less cute, of course.

A few more clients later passed in relatively the same manner. Before they knew it, it was lunch time, and Vinny had worn several crayons down.

“Ready for lunch, bud?” he said, hearing a growl from his own stomach.

“Yeah!” the clatter of several crayons sounded. Vinny’s suit jacket lay abandoned on the floor, something Adrian would no doubt find pleasure in later. Carter’s own remained hanging on the back of his chair, but he felt that a drive to McDonald’s didn’t call for such high attire.

They brought their food back to the office so that Vinny could sit in the ‘spinny chair thing’. His desk of dark oak and polished glass surface served as a holder for salty french fries and happy meal toys. Carter ate his cheeseburger, listening to the fast-paced chatter of his son, fairly certain that life couldn’t get any better than this.

He laughed at Vinny’s knock-knock joke, seeing an almost identical smile in return.


	3. The Lady

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this chapter is illustrated by [VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)!

Vinny figured that he would be completely willing to grow up and be an adult if it meant work was this fun for everyone. While Daddy was talking to a bunch of different people, he found ways to entertain himself without breaking into the conversation. Papa always told him that interrupting was rude, and he hated being rude if he could help it.

But soon his coloring book had gotten boring. Patrick was his favorite character, and all the pages that had a picture of him on it were already colored in. What was he supposed to do now?

He stood off to the side, looking nervously between his Daddy and the stranger. Vinny could hear the man talking extremely fast, and in a sort of rough, deep voice that wasn’t as soothing as Papa’s was, even when he was angry. But the man wouldn’t stop talking, and barely let Daddy say a word. Daddy was even starting to look bored…

Vinny inched forward and tugged on his father’s sleeve, the suit jacket now covering his white shirt again. Vinny left his off still, though, since Daddy had said it was okay.

“D-…Daddy…” he whispered as quietly as he could. The other man’s eyes flitted briefly over to him, crushing Vinny’s hopes that his interruption would go unnoticed, but then kept on talking anyways. Daddy looked down at him too, eyes lingering a bit longer.

“Hang on a sec, bud,” he mumbled.

Vinny sighed quietly and slumped back down to the floor. The drawl of the strange man was almost hypnotizing. Perhaps work wasn’t so cool after all…

After what seemed like an eternity, Daddy started speaking again, the man apparently having finished. Then a few words and nods of agreement, a handshake, and the man was out the door.

“Whew,” Daddy said, slumping against the wall. “Likes to talk, doesn’t he?”

Vinny nodded in agreement.

“Daddy I’m bored again.”

“Okay, uh,” he fumbled in his pocket, pulling out the fancy phone that Papa always complained about going off during bedtime. He looked at it briefly, then shoved it back into his slacks. “Why don’t you _draw_ me a picture, instead of coloring? I’ll even let you use a fancy pen.”

Vinny thought that sounded awesome. He had been eyeing the shiny metal pen on the desk’s surface every once in a while, contemplating whether Daddy would let him use it. Papa always said not to touch Daddy’s things without asking, but it looked like he wouldn’t even have to do that.

“Yeah!” he said, scrambling up from the floor.

“Okay, see that printer?” Vinny turned, nodding as his eyes fell on the large machine perched on a bookshelf. “You can take a few pieces of paper out of the tray, and here,” Daddy handed over the shiny pen. Vinny took it and walked over to the printer thing.

“Thanks Daddy,” he said, reaching up on his tiptoes. The shelf was almost too high, and he could see Daddy looking a bit nervous for some reason, but he managed to reach the tray and pull out three stark white pieces of paper all on his own.

Daddy laughed, moving back to his desk to sit down.

“I guess I don’t have another client ‘till three. You wanna sit up here and draw Papa a picture of Link to put on the fridge?” Daddy asked, smirking. “He’ll probably eat that right up.”

Vinny nodded again, giggling as he reached up to his Daddy. After slight manhandling into position, he was seated atop Daddy’s lap and at a perfect height to use the desk. The pen scribbled over the paper as Daddy informed him on what Link looked like. Vinny thought he sounded like those little elves on the packages of cookies that Daddy would buy, but Daddy assured him that Link was taller and almost cooler than even the Keebler elves.

He was just adding the pointy ears and hat when a weird ringing sounded next to them. Vinny looked over quickly, not having heard that noise before.

“What’s that?” he asked, looking up.

“My office phone,” Daddy said before reaching over and answering it. He held it to his ear while his hands were steadying Vinny on his lap, since he wobbled slightly when the chair swiveled. “Yeah? Yeah. Wait, why? Am I in trouble? Oh, okay. Well, yeah. Okay. Okay. Thanks Casey. Bye.”

Vinny felt the chair turn again and protested as it almost messed up his drawing.

“Sorry, buddy,” Daddy said, grinning. “Look I gotta go talk to my boss real quick, okay? Stay here and don’t touch anything else until I get back,” he stood, and Vinny’s feet dangled in the air momentarily as his body was lifted up and set back down in the chair. It spun idly when Daddy let go, and he grabbed the desk to stay straight.

“Okay…” Vinny said, slightly nervous about being in the office alone. It wasn’t as familiar as home was, but he was a big boy, he could handle it.

“Make sure that tunic’s done when I come back,” Daddy chuckled, walking towards the door. “I’ll just be a second.”

And then he left.

Vinny pulled the chair up to the desk again. The wheels rolling on hardwood sounded a lot louder when no one else was around. He reached up, significantly lower now than he was before, and continued drawing the shirt-thing that Daddy had described. The chair squeaked as he swiveled back and forth idly.

He didn’t know how long he had been alone, but pretty soon the door opened again and Vinny was relieved.

“Daddy, I drew it but I didn’t…know…” his voice faltered as someone, who definitely was not his Daddy, walked in.

It was a lady, for one. She had long, dark hair that looked almost as black as Daddy’s, but her suit was red and more…curvy than his was. Her lips matched it, too, mimicking the bright red color of the candies that sat in the bowl next to him on the desk. Vinny had never seen such a color on someone’s face, and he wondered how her lips got like that. He stopped swiveling in the chair. She looked surprised.

“I’m…guessing you aren’t Mr. Brooks?” she said, raising a thin eyebrow.

He shook his head, ducking slightly. He had no idea who this lady was.

“N-…no. Uhm…Daddy’s not here right now,” he mumbled.

“Oh!” she said, smirking. “He’s your Daddy?”

Vinny nodded.

“Well, don’t you have a mommy?”

Vinny shook his head. He looked back at his drawing, feeling uncomfortable under her penetrating stare.

“Did she…pass away?” the lady sounded hesitant.

“My belly-mommy’s dead. We visit her every Mother’s Day,” he explained, shrugging. He hadn’t ever known her, but from what Papa and Daddy said, she was really nice. They always brought flowers.

“Ah, yes…I see,” she smiled, and Vinny stared. Papa always looked so sad when they went to her grave. He didn’t know why anyone would smile about it. But then she was talking again, moving closer to the desk and saying, “You must take after your mommy, then, because you don’t really look much like your Daddy, do you?”

“Papa says I have Daddy’s eyes,” he piped, correcting her. Papa always booped him on the nose when he said it, which always made Vinny laugh.

The lady paused, looking confused. “Your…Papa says that…to you?”

Vinny nodded, wondering what her problem was. He saw her sit down in one of the chairs opposite the desk, and didn’t know how he felt about her being so close. Was she just going to wait there until Daddy came back? He turned back to his drawing again, but that didn’t stop her from asking more questions.

“Do you miss your mommy at all?” she asked brightly.

Vinny shrugged.

“Uhm…I dunno…” he said, swiveling in the chair again. “I never saw her before.”

“Aw,” the lady said, tilting her head sympathetically. She still had a small smile, though, which Vinny thought was really weird. “Do you ever wish you had a new mommy?”

Vinny just stared, confused. Why would he need a new belly-mommy? Wasn’t he already born?

The door clicked open again and Vinny heard his Daddy’s familiar voice again, happier now more than ever that he was back.

“Sorry, Vinny, I didn’t know it would – Oh,” he looked up and must have finally noticed the weird lady. “Tanna, I didn’t know you’d be here so early!”

He walked further in and Vinny saw them shake hands. He hoped that, now that Daddy was back, the lady would leave soon.

“Tanna, this is my son, Vincent,” he moved around the desk and Vinny was lifted again. He felt a bit safer, perched on his Daddy’s hip, still clutching the pen. “Vinny, this is one of my clients, miss Tanna. I’m supposed to help her with her business today.”

Vinny nodded, and then turned into his father’s shoulder.

“Daddy she’s weird,” he whispered, using his free hand to hold onto his father’s collar for support.

“Vinny, that’s not nice,” Daddy muttered back almost inaudibly. He gave an apologetic look to the Tanna lady, and Vinny squirmed slightly in discomfort. “You haven’t even given her a chance. Now behave for Daddy, okay?”

Vinny nodded reluctantly. He didn’t like the lady one bit, but at least he didn’t have to talk to her anymore.

He felt his feet touch ground again as Daddy set him down, and Vinny went to inspect the bookshelf since the lady was still sitting by the desk. He put the pen in his pocket, saving it for later.

They talked for what felt like a really long time, even longer than the last man that was just in the same chair the lady was sitting in now. She didn’t talk as much as he did, but she had brought papers with her. They were spread out on the desk, Daddy looking at them and discussing them occasionally, and Vinny couldn’t even see his elf picture anymore. He hoped it didn’t get lost, because Daddy said Papa would really like it…

He got tired of looking at the books. They had words too big for him to even think about trying to sound out, and there weren’t even any pictures. What book didn’t have at least _one_ picture in it? Vinny put the heavy one that he had selected back up on the shelf with only a little difficulty, and made his way back to the coloring book.

It wasn’t his elf, or even a picture of his favorite starfish, but he needed something to occupy his time. He settled for a picture of Gary and started coloring that instead. Finally, the red-lip lady started gathering her papers off the desk again. Vinny tried not to be too happy.

“Well, I’m afraid I have another appointment, so we’ll have to continue this later,” she sighed, sounding put-upon.

Daddy nodded. “That’s fine, we can schedule another time that fits your convenience.” He stood, and the lady stood too. Her briefcase closed with a firm _snap!_

“Thank you for the time today,” she smiled, giggling. As Daddy walked around the desk, they both headed for the door. The lady almost stepped on one of Vinny’s crayons with her pointy shoes, and didn’t even seem to notice.

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Daddy said brightly. He held out his hand and she took it. Her fingernails were painted red too. “That’s what they pay me for! Thank you for comi – ”

Vinny looked on, eyes wide, as the lady pulled him closer by her grip on his hand and kissed him right on the mouth. Her unnaturally red lips were right up against Daddy’s. It looked weird. No one had kissed Daddy like that except Papa…

                                

“Mph,” Daddy made a noise and gently pushed the lady away. They weren’t holding hands anymore. Daddy was a lot farther away from her than he had been, bright blue eyes just as wide as Vinny’s probably were.

“Uh…uh…okay…” he said, breathing rather quickly. Daddy ran a hand through his hair while the lady looked rather affronted.

“What is it?” she asked. Her cheeks were really pink.

“Listen…let’s just…keep this professional, please, ma’am,” he looked away as he said it. Vinny might have imagined it, but it looked like Daddy was blushing too. “I’m sorry if you feel that way, but…I’d prefer if this was just business. Please.”

The woman stared for a minute, looking Daddy up and down.

“Oh. Right. Sorry,” she pulled her suit jacket down, brushing off something from one of the pockets. “I’ll just…see you later, then.”

As she swung the door open, still staring at Daddy and then Vinny himself, she winked. Then she simply turned and left.

Daddy stood there, looking incredulously out into the empty hallway.

 


	4. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter has what I guess is a pretty graphic sex-scene? As a smut writer I usually can't resist throwing one in at least once, so I'm sorry if that's not your thing. It's not really relevant to the plot either, just showing that they're married and adults and that's just what adults do sometimes. Anyways, I put an author's note in-text before and after the smut part. There is some plot stuff after the scene, so if you're reading just to find out what happens, make sure you only skip over the sex! Also bumping the rating up to Explicit at this point, so if it IS your thing, enjoy! :)
> 
> As usual, this chapter was illustrated by [VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)!

“Hey honey,” Carter said tiredly, walking through the front door of his home. As usual, his blushing bride was there to greet him with open arms and loving words.

“Hey,” Adrian grunted from the couch, killing another monster-thing on the large television with repeated mashing of the ‘x’ button. He did love his games, after all, and that hadn’t changed since they had first met. It was sort of what Carter loved about Adrian, actually. That he wasn’t afraid to have his own interests still, no matter how much Carter teased him about them. Though at some point in the day Adrian must have gotten several things done, judging by the spotless living room and empty shopping bags propped against the door.

Carter chuckled and ran his fingers through Adrian’s hair. Vinny shot by, backpack swinging wildly, and headed directly for his room to undoubtedly dispose of it.

“How was work?” Adrian asked then, pausing his game when the barrage of monsters seemed to dwindle. He looked up, hazel eyes wide and attractive as ever.

He was so cute when he showed interest in Carter’s boring work.

“Eh, it was okay,” he said, shrugging. “Vin had fun, though. If you couldn’t already guess.”

Adrian smirked. “I figured that would be the case. He wasn’t too much trouble, then?”

“Naw,” Carter waved the statement away. They both knew that their son was fairly well-behaved in public. While excitable when new places were concerned, he was a good kid. He plopped down on the couch next to Adrian, swinging his arm behind his husband in the act.

“Anything interesting happen with any clients?” Adrian asked, and that was when Carter felt the slight panic grip his insides.

Here was the time to say. Vinny was in his room, Adrian’s attention was focused on him, and the subject had changed to clients. Now was the moment to say that, yes, something interesting _had_ happened. He had been assaulted by a pair of ruby lips that were sort of waxy and not very pleasant to kiss anyways. But, no, that didn’t mean he was cheating on Adrian, sweetheart, she had done it. He had politely told her to leave, rejected her like a gentleman in a committed relationship already. Adrian would accept this, and they would both move on.

“Actually…” Carter said, gripping the back of the couch where Adrian couldn’t see.

But what if Adrian didn’t understand? That was a stupid assumption, of course, Adrian was a smart guy. Probably smarter than Carter in more areas than he would like to admit. He would realize that it was all some weird misunderstanding (which Carter had a hard time believing, actually, because _his child was in the damn room_ ), and they could let it go. They would all move on, and still be happy as a family and as a couple.

“Not really,” Carter said, looking back at the TV. Because of his mind screaming at him, pointing out the very stupid lie he had just told, he couldn’t look Adrian in the eye anymore.

“Bummer,” Adrian said, unpausing the game again. “Well, at least that means less stress, so that’s something, right?”

“Yeah…” Carter said guiltily.

Less stress. Right.

He knew that this was all a one-time incident, anyways. It was one lie, and though he would feel the shame over it for a while, at least he wasn’t causing Adrian unnecessary worry over nothing. It was his problem to deal with, after all. Nothing else needed to be done, and if Adrian didn’t know, it would do less harm than if he was aware of what had happened. Just this once, and then it would all smooth over.

~

Apparently, his assumptions had been wrong. During the week, Carter got a phone call from an unknown contact on his cell. He wondered who had received his personal number, which was reserved for family, friends, his office, and the occasional vitally important person. He usually only gave clients the number to his office phone, unless they needed to contact him for an emergency. It was rare in investment banking, but it still happened when the market suddenly changed or something drastic happened.

When he listened to the anonymous voicemail, he discovered it to be none other than Tanna, of course. She invited him to a late dinner to discuss ‘business’.

He called back and declined politely. Carter did offer that, if she wished to discuss finances, appointments were available through the front desk.

This, however, did not stop the occasional call. Sometimes she would make excuses, asking a money-related question, or again inviting him to lunch or dinner for discussion. He refused each time, getting more and more irritated with each call. Eventually he inquired as to how she had gained his number, finding that _Miss Tanna_ had obtained it through Casey at the front desk. Casey seemed rather stony at the mention of his client, saying she was ‘an interesting person to talk to’. Supposedly she had submitted a number of reasons that she needed to contact him, most of which Carter had given access for, and thus had been authorized to use it. Casey then seemed a bit suspicious as to why he was so bothered by it. He backtracked, not wanting to make a big deal of it just yet.

But it was later, on Friday, that Carter knew it was the last straw.

Vinny was off at a sleep-over for one of his friend’s birthdays. Carter came home to a slightly less chaotic scene than usual, since Vinny wasn’t busy tearing around or playing with his toys in the living room. He usually got home from work after Vinny had finished his homework, right when the second wind hit him, but today it was relatively quiet.

Adrian was reading on the couch today, no doubt taking advantage of the lack of interruptions to tackle the book he had been trying to finish for three months. But when Carter stumbled through the door, he snapped it shut and walked over to greet him.

“Hi babe,” he sighed happily, grinning when he received a lengthy kiss as an answer.

Adrian took his coat and briefcase, throwing them on the nearest armchair, and gave him yet another kiss before saying, “How was work?”

“Shitty,” Carter mumbled. They walked over to the couch and he plopped down, Adrian sitting next to him. He slumped moodily against Adrian’s shoulder. “Had a long day.”

“Aw,” Adrian cooed, half-taunting him with a pouty lip. “How come?”

Carter cleared his throat. The true reason was because he had been getting calls on his cell constantly during meetings, which he had to apologize for each time it happened. And every time he looked down to see the number of that harpy, he got the sudden urge to just rip out the battery and chuck it out the window so that he wouldn’t have to deal with this anymore. At the same time, he didn’t feel like shutting it off would be a wise decision, in case an _actual_ emergency happened. Changing his number was useless, since she would no doubt just obtain it again through work, so he was completely frustrated and unsure of what to do at this point.

Ugh. He would have to talk to her about this, and he didn’t know how that would go. He could only be pleasant for a certain amount of time before his anger got the better of him.

“Just a bunch of boring stuff,” he said, staring at the opposite wall instead of his husband’s face. “So many clients…and calls…”

Carter sighed, rubbing his eyes as Adrian made a sympathetic noise.

“Anyways, how was your day?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Uneventful, pretty much,” Adrian shrugged. “Had the whole day free after dropping Vinny of at the Bentleys’. He looked so cute with his little sleeping bag,” Adrian laughed. “But, uh…”

“Whaaaaat…” Carter groaned, knowing that tone. That was the tone that said ‘you’re obviously not going to like what I’m about to say’.

“Well I’m guessing by now you forgot about my parents coming for – ”

“Dinner!” Carter wailed, slumping further into the couch. “Dammit! Yes…”

“I’m sorry,” Adrian said, grimacing.

Neither of them had been looking forward to this. Every time Adrian’s parents came for a visit, Carter was forced to spend the night being silently (or not-so-silently) judged in the most ruthless ways while Adrian constantly defended him. It put an unnecessary strain on everyone, and felt more like work than work even did. Never could Carter remember being at peace while those people were around.

“I invited Maria as a buffer,” Adrian said hopefully.

Carter sighed at that. Probably the only person Adrian’s parents actually liked was his friend Maria. Carter could see why. She probably would have made a good wife, and he didn’t doubt that was all they thought about. The ‘what if’s.

It made him angry, as well. They could insult him, fine. But the blatant disrespect and possibly even contempt they held for their own _son_ was rather disgusting. They hadn’t disowned him, at least, but Carter wasn’t sure how much better this really was. They obviously didn’t approve of Adrian’s choice in ‘significant other’, and it wasn’t because Carter was bad at sports. It was simply due to what was between his legs.

Carter could see the struggle in Adrian’s eyes every time they intruded into their home. The home they had made together, as a family, while raising a son that was perfect in every way. Adrian tried so hard to gain just an ounce of approval, coming up with new ways to show his success, how good his life was, but each time was thwarted by his mother’s prodding remarks and his father’s stony disposition. They were never happy, and they never would be. Carter wished Adrian wouldn’t try so hard anymore and just move on from it…

“What time?” he croaked, turning to look at the brunet with tired eyes.

Adrian bit his lower lip, a sign of nerves.

“…Half hour.”

Carter whined, got up, and slumped to their bedroom to get changed.

~

“So, where is little one?” Mr. Hlaváčhek asked in his curt voice. His accent was rather thick, which somehow instead of being funny only managed to make him more intimidating instead.

Carter smirked to himself, hiding it with a well-placed napkin swipe. Adrian’s eyes landed on his father and narrowed slightly.

“He’s at a friend’s house tonight for a sleepover.”

The man nodded and stoically returned to his mashed potatoes.

Carter almost had to laugh. The amount of emotion these people showed was almost nonexistent. Was he disappointed Vinny wasn’t here? Glad? Indifferent? The fact that they had traveled miles in order to insult their carpet and influence their child, only to find that the child was gone and the floor spotless, didn’t that make them upset? Of course Adrian’s mother had found something to pick at as soon as she walked through the door, making note that they still didn’t have a coat rack for their guests. Carter had taken hers to the bedroom and accidentally deposited it on the floor instead of the bed, but oh well…

Now, Adrian’s famous chicken breast dinner was steaming on each of their plates, accompanied by mashed potatoes, bread rolls, peas, carrots, and a salad that could probably make a famous painting someday if it were that ambitious. And not being eaten currently.

Adrian had clearly worked hard to impress his parents, but they remained fairly silent, only betraying a mildly pleased expression at first that was frighteningly identical between them. Carter wondered how long it would take before him and Adrian started mirroring each other’s actions and mannerisms like that. He supposed it had already started, what with both of them nervously bouncing their leg beneath the table at the current moment.

That was really the only sign of stress Adrian was showing, though. Normally he just shrugged it off, pretending not to want their approval but undoubtedly still craving it in secret. Carter knew that each little jibe stung his husband like a persistent wasp, which was why he currently was thankful of the relative silence that had befallen them. It may have been slightly uncomfortable, but it was less so than when they actually spoke.

“This is really good, Adrian,” Maria chirped, smiling as if this weren’t the most awkward and horrible visit ever. Carter was resentful that her husband, Barry, had managed to escape this whole fiasco by ‘watching the kid at home’.

“Thanks,” Adrian sent his own smile back. Even when it was strained, he was the cutest thing on the planet.

Carter sighed and chewed idly. Maybe if he kept shoveling in food, no one would talk to him and expect him to answer.

“So, Carter…”

Or not.

“What do you do for money, again?” the woman asked, her English only slightly better than her husband’s.

Carter looked up reluctantly, retaining his neutral expression. “Investment banking.”

“And does that make a lot?”

“Mom,” Adrian said, closing his eyes. Carter could see his cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“I just want to know what – ”

“Yeah, okay, but you don’t just _ask_ people what they make!” he said incredulously. “It’s rude.”

A pause.

“Are you having money troubles, son? I always tell you that the man should provide for the family, and since there’s _two_ of you, both should – ”

“Mom, when I was thinking about work, _you_ were the one who said someone should stay home!” Adrian pressed. “Which is it?”

She glared. Her lips were almost nonexistent when they were pressed in such a severe line like that.

“And Carter makes plenty anyways, he’s great at what he does,” he added proudly.

Carter smirked again, not even bothering to hide it this time.

“Hey Carter, how _is_ work going, by the way?” Maria used her skill to steer the conversation yet again from dangerous waters. Though, he didn’t find this topic much better considering the truthful answer.

_I’m getting harassed by an insane woman and she won’t leave me the fuck alone._

“Oh, fine,” he replied simply. “You know, working the market and talking to clients. Advising people and all that.” He waved a lazy hand.

She nodded, pretending as usual to have a grasp on how it worked. Maria had always made a valiant effort to understand what exactly investment banking entailed, but she (like many people) just didn’t get it. It wasn’t exactly a simple concept, but Carter was able to understand it well enough and know what an investment banker did. He worked as one, after all. But every time he tried to explain the foundation of transactions and handling investments, her eyes sort of glazed over and he knew he was fighting a losing battle. At least she tried.

Adrian’s parents had asked about ten times what he did for a living, and each answer had been the one he just gave. He didn’t know if they constantly forgot, didn’t care enough to remember, or just asked him to make him explain it every single time as yet another way to annoy him. Though perhaps their old age was starting to affect their memory…

If he was lucky, maybe Adrian’s parents would forget where they lived and there wouldn’t be any more visits like this.

He heard Adrian’s mother going on about a spot on her plate that wasn’t from her own food, when suddenly he felt a strong vibration in his pocket and yelped. Everyone stared.

“What is it honey?” Adrian asked, looking concerned.

The old crustaceans just looked annoyed, and Maria was stifling a laugh.

Through this all the phone in Carter’s pocket kept buzzing, a bit too close to his inner thigh for him to be comfortable in front of everyone. He plunged a hand in his jeans and tried to silence it with a fair bit of blind searching. Eventually he hit the volume button and it stopped.

“Just my phone,” he said hastily, feeling embarrassment seep up from his collar. He would _not_ let those petulant stares get to him.

“Oh, okay, well mom I told you that I washed them, it must be…”

Carter slumped over his plate. He didn’t need to look at his phone to know who it was that was calling him. However, he slid it out of his pocket, unlocked the screen, and checked anyways beneath the table. Sure enough, there was her name, bold as the scarlet power suit she wore.

He stuffed the phone back into his pocket with more force than was probably necessary. This night was just getting better and better. Now she was calling him at home? When was this going to stop?

“You have more auditions, son?” Adrian’s father asked with mild interest.

Carter saw him perk up considerably. This, at least, he had a response for.

“Actually yeah, dad!” Adrian said. Carter tried not to notice how cute his smile was again. Now was the time for bitter thinking, not fawning over his husband. “I got a call from that director down at the opera house, and he wants me to come back for a second run!”

“Well that’s good,” his mother said, sounding almost pleased. Carter raised an eyebrow. Was she actually proud of him?

Of course, then Adrian’s father ruined it by nastily saying “At least it is _something_ …”

Carter bristled. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Adrian had been talking about that tryout for about three days now. They had gone out to dinner to celebrate it when he got the call. He was so happy to be singing and acting again, and the mask of exasperation on his face now was no doubt just hiding the true effect of that stupid little jab. Adrian was a great father, he didn’t need to prove himself to anybody. Carter wished he wouldn’t try to.

“Thanks dad,” Adrian said, rolling his eyes.

Maria then asked for the gravy, distracting his mother from saying something else. Damn, she was good.

Eventually, the first circle of hell ended and they retired to the living room to start on the second. Or dessert, whichever way one saw it. Adrian walked around, handing out plates of chocolate cake. Carter accepted his with restrained enthusiasm. He _loved_ chocolate cake…

“Thank you dear,” Adrian’s mother sniffed, accepting hers as well. “Did you make this yourself?”

“Uh, no,” he said hesitantly. “I got it from the bakery...”

“Ah,” she pursed her lips in discontent.

Carter gripped his fork harder. It was taking a great deal of self-control to prevent himself from plunging it into her arm on the sofa next to him.

“So Nina,” Carter said pleasantly, turning to face her. Kill her with kindness, it was only another hour or two… “I was wondering what kind of baking _you_ did. You seem well-versed in the art, after all.”

Especially with the horrible contempt she was showing for the damned cake…

She almost betrayed a smile before she launched into an explanation. “Well, I often make…”

She then proceeded to list off several different things with names Carter hadn’t ever heard of before. It was an easy out, really. All he had to do was keep her occupied and nod occasionally. He didn’t really listen to what she was saying, feeling as though if he did he would undoubtedly go insane. But the woman could talk about herself, that was for damn sure.

“…So then this man, he say to me ‘Why do you not have the right parts?’ and I say ‘Because it is no longer made!’” he vaguely heard across the room. It sounded as though Adrian’s father was talking about his company again, which manufactured and sold car parts. Carter honestly didn’t know which conversation he would rather be in, because hearing about baking was about as boring as hearing about discontinued rearview mirrors. But by now he was already resigned to a horrible rest of the evening, so he just laid back and let it happen.

The cake helped at least. Adrian’s mother even seemed to forget that she was trying to hate it, and finished her own piece while gabbling away for over twenty minutes. When she finally did finish, his had long since been demolished of course, and he took the opportunity before him to escape momentarily.

“Here, let me get that for you,” he said in a voice as non-sarcastically-sweet as he could.

“Oh, yes…” she said, handing over her empty plate. He knew that the fact that he wasn’t a total douchebag made it so much harder for her to find reasons to hate him. This Carter took the utmost pleasure in.

He walked over to Adrian and Maria, who were sitting on the loveseat with glazed-over eyes.

“Here babe,” Carter offered his free hand to take Adrian’s plate and then Maria’s.

“Thank you honey,” Adrian said in a tired voice. His little smile was tilted up and expectant, so Carter obliged and gave him a brief peck on the lips. This, even, made Mr. Hlaváčhek look away quickly.

Carter walked off and couldn’t help but smile at his expense.

He rinsed the dishes and put them in the washer so that Adrian wouldn’t have to do them later. Obviously his intentions weren’t completely selfless, as he could hear Adrian’s mother adding her two cents to the conversation in the next room, but he really did want things to be easier for his husband. Hell knew he deserved it. Having parents like this, trying to set up a nice dinner for them, desperately clinging onto a relationship with them, and having it partially thrown back in his face. Adrian had worked hard all week too, getting ready for his audition, bringing Vinny to and from school/soccer practice/events. He didn’t need this on top of things. All Carter had done the past few days was lie to him. And the guilt he felt because of it grew with each passing second…

He was jerked out of his thoughts when arms snaked around his waist and a low groan tickled the back of his neck. The familiar scent of Adrian filled his nostrils, making him feel more at ease. Yet the guilt still lingered, of course.

“Tired,” Adrian mumbled into his shirt.

“I know babe, I’m sorry,” Carter sighed. He turned around and Adrian chose to lean against his chest instead, hands on the counter behind them.

But of course, a piercing voice came through, asking if they had decaf.

                                               

“I’m making coffee right now,” Adrian said bluntly. “As you can see.”

Carter laughed.

~

Carter sighed.

It was over. Thank everything and anything, it was finally over. Adrian’s parents had gone quietly enough, merely drinking their coffee and providing minimal chatter mixed with subtle jibes. Eventually they had finished and left. As Adrian’s mother walked out the door, Carter saw her coat was considerably wrinkled from lying in a heap for so long. He smirked, much more happy to see her retreating back than he was when he first opened the door to her rigid face.

Maria had aided in cleanup, and then made to leave as well.

“Thank you so much,” Adrian muttered, looking exasperated yet grateful.

“No prob,” she smiled. “And good job on the audition! I hope the next round goes the same!”

Carter gave her a hug as well, and she left to go save Barry from their daughter’s clutches.

“Eeeeaaaaurghhhh,” he grumbled, collapsing on the couch. He felt like he could very well just pass out then and there. “That one didn’t seem as bad as last time, but it was still awful as shit.”

“Maybe they’re warming up to you,” Adrian said, snickering. He walked to the couch and leaned on the back behind Carter, making the cushions shift. It wasn’t until he felt hands on his shoulders that he realized why.

Carter groaned, the kneading of his tense muscles almost too good to be real. Might as well be a professional masseuse for all he knew…

“Oh my god babe, I don’t deserve you…”

“Yeah, but it’s too late for me now,” Adrian joked. “All the good ones are taken.”

“Mmmm…” Carter slumped against the couch, not even bothering to act offended. He instead reveled in the soothing touch. Adrian gave the best massages, though he always said it was more of a curse than a blessing.

Carter sat there, thanking whatever deity that had provided him with the perfect spouse, and enjoyed the quiet, the massage, the relaxation that seemed to overtake him. A complete lack of grating parents and intrusive phone calls. He was almost ready to fall asleep with how content he was. That is, until he noticed Adrian’s hands slipping lower towards his chest.

“Mmm…” he hummed again, though with a slightly interested inflection this time. Yeah, so he was a guy, no amount of exhaustion would change that.

Adrian dipped lower, skimming over a nipple, and Carter knew now this was no accident. Adrian always pretended to be innocent, sure, but both of them were fully aware that that was not true in the slightest. Hot breath ghosted the back of his neck, and he suppressed a shiver.

Carter shifted slightly instead, breathing out. Along with the obvious arousal it was stirring within him, the massage was still relaxing. Until he felt a sigh against his neck, followed by a direct nip to the shell of his ear.

“You’re horny, aren’t you.”

“What gave you that idea?” Adrian breathed, the words tickling his hair.

He chuckled and kept his eyes closed. “Thought you said you were tired?”

“I am, but you’re too cute, getting all worked up at dinner.”

Carter turned around to say something cocky, but felt lips on his before he could speak, accompanied by a tongue slipping into his mouth that negated any desire to talk anyways.

Wow, he found some energy after all.

_( **Author’s Note:**  Clearly this is the NSFW part, so skip ahead to the next Author’s Note if you wish to save your virtue)_

They stumbled down the hall and through the bedroom door, kissing furiously along the way. Carter felt hands wind into his hair as he unbuttoned his own shirt, and his groan was muffled by Adrian’s mouth. Not that it mattered. Vinny wasn’t here, so they could express themselves as much as they wanted this time…

“Mph, dammit,” Adrian muttered in annoyance. Carter felt the usual thrill go through him as Adrian fumbled with his belt. The foretelling _clank_ of the buckle being undone always brought with it memorable events…

To preoccupy himself, he lifted Adrian’s sweater over his head and flung it in the usual corner. Over his now bare shoulder, the king-size bed was visible, inviting Carter to claim his husband as he had so many times before on it. That bed had witnessed more debauchery since they bought it than most others had in an entire lifetime, probably. He always liked to make time for things like intimacy. It was a sacrifice he made willingly.

Carter moved his hands to Adrian’s waist, nipping along that delicate jawline as he guided him backward. They hit the bed and crawled blindly onto it. Since everything was dark and they weren’t paying much careful attention to anything but each other, Carter had to rely on memory to know how far he had to shift and where everything was. But Adrian’s rough breathing in his ear may have been a bit distracting.

He jerked, feeling Adrian’s hand finally work open the buttons on his jeans and subsequently shove inside them. Fingers wrapped around him in practiced ease and stroked quickly.

“Ah fuck,” Carter breathed, burying his face in Adrian’s shoulder. He could tell this was going to be a good night, all the pent up frustrations from the evening being let loose by both of them. Plus, it had been a little while…

His hips thrust forward, seeking the warm touch of his husband. While they were married, and had a child to be mindful of, their sex-life hadn’t changed or gotten boring like many people claimed. Perhaps it was a played up stereotype, or perhaps they were just different. Adrian wasn’t some vanilla housewife, though. He was pretty creative sometimes.

Like the way he was moaning now and grinding his hips upward, giving small nips with his teeth between kisses. He knew Adrian couldn’t ever drive him this wild by _accident_. At least some of it has to be pre-calculated.

“Fuck,” Carter murmured again, feeling his brain power leaving him. He gave one last kiss to Adrian’s plump lower lip and then moved up the bed towards the nightstand.

More blind fumbling in the darkness, which he had done on countless other occasions, managed to produce an opened drawer and a bottle of lubricant. It was the special kind that Adrian bought, which was edible and tasted like strawberries.

See, creative.

He dropped it on the bed for use in the near-future and moved to rid himself of all this damn clothing. With an agility only associated with sex, he managed to slide off his jeans and boxers in one go. He sat up to shrug off the unbuttoned shirt too, but Adrian’s hands slid over his chest and he sort of forgot what he was about to do. Adrian shuffled up and straddled him. Apparently he had divested himself of slacks as well, because Carter could feel a bare erection nestled comfortably against his own.

Adrian nibbled his lower lip, towering above him completely naked. Pretty much how Carter liked him best.

When Adrian smirked almost imperceptibly and rocked his hips, Carter groaned. It had been almost a week since he fully admired his husband’s body, and now that his eyes had adjusted and that lean torso was stretched out above him, he could get a good view. Adrian’s slightly flushed cheeks were visible in the semi-darkness, showing how much he was enjoying himself. The small gasps he emitted in the silent room were in time with his thrusts, the slow grinding of his pelvis against Carter’s.

Carter could feel his breath getting heavy. He didn’t know how soon this would be over if Adrian kept pulling out all the irresistible stops. Damn.

He seized Adrian’s narrow waist and pulled him down to his level. Groping blindly for the lube was a challenge, but eventually he unearthed it from the now-rumpled sheets and popped the cap open quickly.

Adrian moaned, hearing the familiar sound and knowing what it meant. He was still pushing them together at the hips in his need for friction, and while it certainly was creating a glorious sensation between them, Carter had other ideas at the moment.

He slid downward, and Adrian made a desperate noise as he realized where he was going.

Carter nudged Adrian gently to lie on his back, to which he obliged without hesitance, and slipped down between his legs.

Adrian groaned as Carter’s mouth found his cock, hard and waiting for him. He knew Adrian liked this the most, whenever he would use his tongue to distract him from the preparation that was usually needed in order for them to actually go at it. Adrian had always disliked this part, no matter how gentle he was with it. At least, he had until they learned that Carter didn’t have a gag reflex.

“Oh,” Adrian breathed, hips pushing up in that cute way they did. It was always slowly, as he always tried to prevent himself from thrusting upward out of what Carter assumed was respect, but the noises he made clearly indicated that it wasn’t that easy of a task.

Carter dipped down, sucking hard and playing his tongue over Adrian’s erection. As he did, he squeezed a small amount of the lube on his fingers and capped the bottle again to toss it aside. It would come in use later, but he wanted to enjoy this night with the house free to themselves, and that meant provoking as much noise as he could from the man currently beneath him. He slid his mouth down, taking Adrian at full length as he played a finger between his legs at the same time. Adrian gasped, and he felt a hand clasp into his hair. Carter would have smirked were he not so turned on and if his mouth weren’t currently occupied.

Finally, after pulling back again, he slipped a finger inside the panting brunet and sucked yet again around him. Adrian gave a loud groan, not seeming to mind one bit as the slicked finger worked into him. His hand merely tightened in Carter’s hair and gave the lightest of guidance in the ways of movement.

Carter sucked and pumped his fingers slowly, making sure Adrian was fully unable to breathe in a way that remotely resembled composure. He whined and his back arched, and soon he was thrusting his hips again. However, they seemed unsure if they wanted to go down towards Carter’s hand, or up into his mouth. Adrian settled for a frustrated in-between, and Carter could hear the moans increasing.

He amped it up to two fingers, knowing Adrian’s body almost as well as his own, and soon after that snuck in a third. Adrian continued his string of erotic noises, and eventually started muttering curses as well.

“Oh, god,” he said breathlessly, hand pulling slightly at Carter’s hair. “Please…fuck…”

He had that air of restraint again that he never really dropped fully. Carter thought it was terribly adorable though, how much he tried and failed to hide the pleasure he got from their less-than-innocent activities in bed.

Carter let him slip out of his mouth and he sat up, breathing heavily. Having a dick in your mouth was cool and all, but breathing got a bit difficult after a while.

“You good?” he panted, reaching for the lube again. Adrian nodded, face flushed with arousal, and Carter uncapped the bottle once more.

He slicked his own aching erection with enough of the stuff that was necessary, and discarded the bottle in haste. Carter took Adrian’s slim hips in his hands and lifted his pelvis slightly off the bed to get at a good angle. Adrian looked completely exhausted, yet sexually frustrated at the same time, and that had Carter pushing into him as quickly yet gently as he could.

Adrian gave a breathy sigh, one that haunted Carter’s thoughts often, sometimes even at work when he least expected it. It echoed in his mind and could cause serious problems throughout the day if he wasn’t careful. But that sigh was the best noise in existence. Better than all the porn and all the imagination in the world could come up with. And it was right here, because of Carter, that it always happened just for him.

He seated himself fully inside Adrian once again, letting his own thoughts cloud over briefly as he took in the sensation. Warm, tight, constricting him from all sides as though his erection was being suffocated rather than merely inside another person. Inside the man who he had done this with several times over, yet it never lost its novelty. He panted heavily and supported Adrian’s hips, taking in those wide green eyes for a moment before smiling slightly.

“Like that?” Carter asked, using the left-over lubricant on his hand to stroke Adrian’s neglected cock.

“Mh,” Adrian made a noise of affirmation, however weak it may have sounded. His hips shifted as Carter’s hand didn’t relent. He turned his head to the side, yet maintained eye contact, and Carter smirked yet again.

He brought a hand to his mouth and licked slowly, laughing when Adrian groaned.

“Don’t do that,” he whined, closing his eyes finally.

“Strawberries,” Carter said, and Adrian grunted in response.

However, his tune changed when Carter shifted his hips back and thrust slightly forward again. A moan sounded from the man before him, louder than usual due to the lack of residents in the house. Carter grasped his hips with both hands again and knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

The room got stuffy with the added temperature of their bodies. Adrian grew more vocal with each slow grind into him, each push of Carter’s hips that made him practically weak with desire. He didn’t understand how he could want Adrian more when he was already inside him, but it simply was that way and he craved everything about him. He loved the way Adrian whimpered when he hit that particular spot. He loved the way Adrian would nibble his own lip when he became too flustered to stand it. He loved the way Adrian’s stomach tensed and the way his hands would grab at the sheets beneath them. He loved everything about his husband, and right now he had it all.

“Fuck…” Carter gasped, leaning forward and hooking Adrian’s legs in the crooks of his arms.

He felt arms wrap around him, and blunt nails digging into his back. God, he loved it when Adrian did that, probably more than he should…

Carter could hear the desperate moans, feel them washing over his shoulder with hot breath against his skin. His hips thrust forward, grinding slowly into Adrian with a friction that was just _good_ and hot and with all the right pressure in all the right places. He wouldn’t last much longer, that was for sure. Carter moved his arms, one bracing himself on the bed with his elbow, hand burrowing into Adrian’s thick hair, and the other reaching down between them to start stroking firmly at the neglected erection. Adrian panted wildly, wrapping his legs around Carter’s waist. His hands held on for dear life around Carter’s back, nails still finding purchase on his skin, but never too hard to hurt.

“Mmmh,” he hummed, nipping at Carter’s shoulder and making him close his eyes tightly.

Adrian shouldn’t be allowed to do sexy things…

Just then, he jolted slightly when a weird noise went off in the room.

It took him a few seconds to realize it was his phone. The vibrations were going off in his jeans next to them, and the pocket was glowing in the relative darkness.

“Should you – ” Adrian started reluctantly, but Carter shook his head.

“Ignore it, ignore it,” he said desperately. He continued thrusting, hearing Adrian’s now-subdued breaths as he did, feeling relieved when the vibrations finally stopped.

But then, about half a second later, they started up again.

_( **Author’s Note:**  Only mild references from here on, so continue from here! Carter’s phone has started to ring, interrupting their…moment.)_

“Fuck!” Carter growled, dropping his forehead to Adrian’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, just answer it,” Adrian said sympathetically.

“I don’t wannaaaaa…”

“Baby it might be important…”

Carter sighed heavily. “Fiiiine.”

He pulled out, feeling extremely frustrated at his denied orgasm, and snatched up the phone irritably.

“What?” he barked as he answered, standing at the side of the bed. He probably looked ridiculous, standing bare-assed with a hard-on and a hand on his hip, but he was in no mood to give a fuck.

_“Hello! Brooks? I wondered if you’d answer!”_

Carter had to actually hold his breath until he walked out into the hallway. As soon as he did, he exploded into a fit of quiet rage.

“What the _fuck,_ lady?!” he said, finally losing his cool.

After a week, she had broken him. She had called him relentlessly, pestered him with texts, flirted her hardest to no avail, and now… _now_ she stole him away from his husband in the middle of what could have been glorious sex had she not chosen that moment to sink her talons into it. This was unacceptable. It had to fucking stop.

 _“What?”_ she said, sounding appalled.

“Stop calling me, I’m serious. During meetings is one thing, but while I’m at home and in the middle of _fucking_ is another!” he spat. She probably had been oblivious to all his previous refusals, but if she was that was her fault. He was pissed.

_“Who…oh…who are you with?”_

“My husband!” he said with grave satisfaction. He had neglected saying it now, but maybe the fact that he was a flaming homo would get it through her thick skull that he wasn’t interested. “I’m married, okay? Now please, I can keep this professional if you’re willing to just…back the fuck off.”

 _“You’re married…to another_ man _?”_ she said incredulously.

“Yes,” he smirked, even though she couldn’t see it.

_“I see…well…I just don’t see why you can’t join me for dinner and we can…talk this out like adults.”_

“Then feel free as hell to find another consultant,” he said brusquely. She was still an idiot.

 _“Oh, I see. But…I mean…what will they say when they find out that my_ last _consultant may have…made an inappropriate gesture towards me?”_

“What are - ?”

Carter was confused for a brief moment, but then felt his stomach go cold. Her tone was innocent, unassuming and victimized. A clear act, of course. But a disturbingly good one.

_“…If we can just talk about it over dinner, though, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”_


	5. Nice To Meet You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this chapter is illustrated by [VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)!

“What is it, honey?” Adrian asked, looking at his husband and feeling concerned.

Carter was currently microwaving a hot pocket. Nothing here was really out of the ordinary, per se, but the problem was that he was simply staring at it. Just watching the small pocket of bread and cheesy innards turn idly within the machine, not making any move to busy himself otherwise. Adrian would, on any normal day, write it off as just Carter being in one of his spacey moods. But recently, it had gotten out of control. When he wasn't working, he was busy staring off into the distance.

“Nothing,” Carter said, no doubt trying to sound casual. He just managed to come off as rather strained, though, and his position didn’t change in the slightest.

It had been about two-and-a-half weeks since the dinner with Adrian's parents. He would have thought that after it was over, the yearly hurdle finally cleared of suffering his mother's insults, that Carter would maybe be more at ease. But, for some reason, it appeared the opposite. Carter seemed a bit busier than usual at work, staying at the office all day and even well into the night. He would have social dinners after work, networking to accomplish at some event or another, and a great deal of meetings to attend when he wasn't busting his tail in the workplace already. Adrian had only seen Carter this busy on a few occasions, when the market would get extremely profitable. It must have been another one of those times, because he could see it wearing on his husband.

                                    

The microwave dinged and Carter removed the ham-and-cheese pocket, fumbling slightly since it was probably hot. “See you later,” he called, giving Adrian a vague kiss goodbye on his way out the door. It shut, marking the start of yet another extended period apart that would continue to make them almost strangers to each other.

Carter did try. He tried to socialize with them as a family on the weekends and when he got home in the late evenings. But things would get in the way, or he would call and explain feverishly that he wouldn't be home on time. Adrian tried to understand. It wasn't Carter's fault, after all.

He was doing his best. It just…wasn’t good enough.

~

Adrian sat with his hands on the steering wheel, idling in the pickup lane outside of Vinny's school. He was tapping out the rhythm to his favorite song on the radio, resisting the urge to belt out the lyrics. He didn't need the other moms to start gossiping about him again. They had just gotten over the ‘two dads’ thing for crying out loud. Eventually, his patience was rewarded when Vinny's shock of auburn hair appeared in the window (he wasn't tall enough for Adrian to see anything else), and the door opened.

"Hey honey, how was -- oh no. What's wrong?"

Adrian changed tracks mid-sentence when he saw little watery blue eyes. Vinny always tried so hard not to cry.

Vinny sniffed and climbed into the seat, buckling himself in first. Then he said in a small wavering voice, "Daddy couldn't make it."

Adrian paused, trying to figure out what was happening. He had told Vinny earlier that he would be picking him up from school. Carter wasn't usually able to at this time anyways.

"For show-and-tell," Vinny said in response to his dazed expression.

Adrian sighed, finally getting it.

There had been talk a few nights ago of Carter possibly taking an early lunch and instead going to Vinny's school for show-and-tell. He had sounded slightly doubtful at the time, but when presented with those bright blue eyes, so filled with hope, well...Adrian was aware of their persuasive powers. It was unfortunate that they were now welling with tears and disappointment.

"I'm sorry honey," Adrian said, not knowing what else to do. "Did you at least have something else to show?"

"No," he mumbled.

"Why don't we go out for ice cream, then? And Daddy can pay for it with the money I borrowed from his wallet."

That at least got a reluctant giggle and a nod. There was no mystery who he inherited his sweet-tooth from, Carter always being a little _too_ eager to provide a double-scoop as a quick fix for a sticky situation, but Adrian was occasionally good for a bribe as well. Especially when he had a distressed child in his passenger's seat.

After a waffle cone brimming with cookie-dough ice-cream and a renewed excitement in conversation, they made their way to the store. Adrian had to buy a cake mix for a party that Maria was having, to which he had foolishly offered to bring dessert. At least he didn't have her husband's job. He was in charge of finding a babysitter to watch about nine children for three hours in a basement while the adults enjoyed the festivities.

They were also out of eggs. And lunch meat. And it seemed like something else, but he couldn't remember...

Adrian cursed his forgetfulness as they walked into the store, basket in hand. He knew he should have made a list.

"What cake do you think they'll like?" he asked when they got to the desserts isle. Vinny tore his eyes away from the sprinkles to scan the shelves of cake mixes.

"That one!" he pointed firmly.

It was Vinny's favorite cake, of course. The kind with the rainbow sprinkles inside the batter. Somehow, Adrian couldn't imagine a bunch of adults eating confetti cake and taking part in any serious conversations.

Which is exactly why he took it and placed it decidedly into the basket.

"Good choice."

Vinny beamed.

They wandered over to the refrigerated section, picking up things that Adrian realized they were low on, and the basket increased in heaviness the more they lingered in an aisle. Perhaps he should have gotten a cart after all...

They were just picking out what type of jelly they wanted for their toast in the mornings when a simpering voice sounded behind him and he turned.

"Hi Vinny!"

It was some woman who Adrian had never met before. He immediately took in her fire-engine red blouse, which had a considerable number of buttons undone at the top, and her matching lipstick that could make any bull-fighter within a ten-mile radius feel paranoid. Her nail polish was flashy, her earrings large, and her hair styled to an almost surgical perfection. She was certainly something, that was for sure.

Vinny said nothing, and Adrian was busy trying to figure out who she was. He knew Vinny's teacher fairly well, and none of the other moms from the school were this...expressive. How did she come to know his son, exactly?

"Who is this? Your uncle, or somebody?" she said, clearly seeking some sort of acknowledgement. Her heavily penciled eyebrows rose at Adrian.

"No, I'm his father," he said, taking Vinny's hand in his own. Just in case this woman was some distraction for weak-willed men in order to let someone swipe his child unnoticed. Yeah, he had read the papers.

"Oh!" her lips formed a perfect 'O' at this. "I'm so sorry! I was under the impression that Brooks was his father, since I had seen them at his office a few weeks ago.

"Well, yeah. He is too. He's my husband. We're married," Adrian said bluntly. It was never any use just breaking it to people slowly, so he took the shotgun approach usually to save on time. Plus, this lady seemed like a handful, and he had only been speaking to her for a grand total of ten seconds.

Her face looked completely surprised yet again.

"He...He's gay?" she said, bringing a hand to her plentiful bosom.

"Yes." Adrian braced himself for a stupid question to be asked fairly soon. She didn't look like she read up on homosexual rights that frequently.

She gasped. "I never would have thought! I mean, with how he is in bed, he never mentioned that he -- "

"What?" Adrian said mutinously. "What does that mean?"

She stuttered, then laughed in a simpering way that made Adrian grip the basket tightly.

"I'm sorry! I probably shouldn't have -- but, yes -- we've been together. He told me he didn't have a wife! I thought I could...fill in for her, physically, so to speak? But, to think he had a husband instead...never really crossed my mind!" she looked almost sympathetic. Though, sympathy shouldn't have that much mirth at the end of it, Adrian thought. She was giggling again and gave her hair a gentle toss. "He just...tends to a woman's body so well! I never would have thought that _men_ were in his history. Perhaps that was what warranted a visit to the ‘other side’ again?"

She smiled, but it was more of a smirk. Or at least, Adrian saw it that way.

He was surprised the basket's handle hadn't broken in half yet with how hard he was gripping it. He looked down at Vinny, who seemed unsure of what they were talking about. Carter would never do this to him, to his son. He would never do this to their family. He was not having this conversation in front of his five-year-old, and he was not going to listen to this random woman in a supermarket.

"You're lying," he said, pulling Vinny slightly closer to his side. The doubt pulled at him even as he said the words, but he refused to believe it. Not now. Not in front of this harpy.

She laughed again, tossing her hair once more for good measure.

"Well I certainly don't want to make things hard for him with you, but if it wasn't him I was with, I'm not sure who it was! I'm surprised he's even had time to be with a family? We've been spending a lot of time together outside of his office these days. That was where we met at first, anyways," she waved a hand and chuckled, as if recalling a fond memory. "But at lunch and dinner? How does he handle it all? I thought he was just rushing off all that time to take care of little Vinny here!"

Adrian scoffed when she reached down to pat his head. He yanked his son out of her reach and took a step back.

"Carter wouldn't do that. He would NEVER do that," Adrian spat angrily.

She raised her eyebrows again. "Well, if you want to think so! Perhaps you should ask him, though. The answer might surprise you!"

She said the last words in a sing-song voice, and Adrian felt his resolve snap.

"I will," he snapped, turning from her scarlet train-wreck of a body. "And we'll both know that he's not cheating on me, much less with someone like..." Adrian looked at her with as much disgust as he could muster, "Well. Someone like _you_."

"I suppose we will," she winked, smiling like the devil incarnate. "Nice to meet you, Mr.Brooks! And good seeing you too, Vinny!"

~

Driving aggressively wasn’t something Adrian really approved of. It was dangerous, and he had a child to be mindful of, but there were a few times when anger needed to be expressed in some ways, and taking hard turns or pushing the limits of the law were the only way he could do that at the moment without Vinny being aware of his fury. His thoughts were also a safe haven now, so he took full advantage of that as well.

_– don’t need some idiot scarlet-clad bimbo telling me about my own family! I don’t know what the hell kind of street corner they found her on, but I better not ever see her face or that stupid lipstick ever again in my life. There will be hell to pay, I swear up and down on all that is holy. ‘Mr. Brooks’?! I’m my own man, god damnit, I have my own name!_

They eventually made it home, Adrian pulling himself together enough to get the bags of groceries out of the back and open Vinny’s door. Vinny slowly unbuckled himself and slid out of his booster seat, little shoes scraping against the driveway as they made their way to the door. Adrian jangled the keys noisily and threw it open, pushing his way inside.

When he set all the bags on the table and stood with his hands aggressively on his hips, Vinny slinked around the corner.

“Pappa, are you mad?” he asked hesitantly. The full power of the blue eyes hit him and Adrian sighed, deflating.

“No, Vinny, I’m not mad at you. Just. Have to talk to Daddy later,” he added through gritted teeth.

“Is it about Tanna?”

“Who?” Adrian asked.

“The lady at the store.”

“Oh,” Adrian muttered, turning slightly to stare at the fridge. On it was one of Carter’s business cards.

_So that’s her name._

“Well, maybe, but don’t worry about it Vinny. I’ll talk to Daddy and…and get it straightened out,” he said in forced reassurance. “Do you want a snack?”

Vinny nodded, and they set to slicing apples.

Once Vinny was safely in his room, doing his homework and eating bits of apple, Adrian began to feel a bit better. Having such accusations sprung on him at such a strange moment had caused him to overreact, of course. There was no way Carter would stray from him, from their family, or from the life they had fought tooth and nail to build together. He wouldn’t have tried so hard to go against ‘social norms’ to marry him, to make sure they had the perfect son, to love him so obviously and allow for them to put such trust in each other in the first place.

But his mind drifted over to how distant Carter had been lately. How evasive he seemed when asked about work specifics. How he was gone well past the hours of his office at events for…for the company. How he seemed so shady and was avoiding eye-contact and smelled of various colognes and perfumes whenever he came home late at night. How he had always at least once mentioned every client he was working with, even if it was in some off-handed manner. Every client except one.

Fumbling with his cell phone, Adrian sat on the couch and dialed the only number he had ever actually bothered to memorize.

_“Hey babe what’s up?”_

Adrian felt unease flood his stomach at hearing the same distracted tone that had plagued Carter’s voice for two weeks now. “Hi honey. I was just…” he breathed. This was stupid, they just needed to clear the rumor that this scarlet woman had started. They just needed to talk face-to-face. “Just hoping you would be home tonight for dinner.”

It was unsurprising, but Carter’s answer made him feel sick nonetheless.

_“Sorry baby, I have another dinner tonight,”_ he could hear the sigh crackle through the phone. _“I have to keep up these business appearances.”_

“I know, but just – just come home and eat with us. Alright?” Adrian hated how pleading he sounded. He couldn’t help but feel like this was some deciding factor. If he really wanted to, he could sacrifice one. Just one.

_“Adrian,”_ Carter sounded strained, annoyed. _“I know it’s been tough but – ”_

“It’s been two weeks, Carter,” he said firmly. “And you’ve eaten here, what? Twice? Just come home. Just miss one, you can’t tell me it’s this bad and that you can’t miss one.”

_“Adrian, baby, I swear, I could lose my job if I don’t do this. You’ll just have to trust me, okay?”_

Adrian slumped forward, seizing a handful of his own hair. Trust, of course. What else could he do?

_“I’m pulling up to the restaurant, babe. I’ll make it up to you later, I swear, okay? I’ll be back later tonight.”_

Adrian straightened up, feeling his heartbeat increase. He wasn’t sure if he could deal with this alone until the late hours of the night. He was supposed to just sit here and brood over what might or might not be happening while Carter was away?

“Wait – ”

_“I really gotta go babe, I’m already late. I love you!”_

“I think we really need to talk and I can’t – !”

“God dammit!” He threw his phone in the corner of the room and dropped his forehead to his hands.

~

After a dinner of macaroni and cheese, a bedtime story, momentary interruption to search for little Vinny and find him under the coffee table, a goodnight kiss, a few pages of a book, various failed attempts at distraction, and eventual pacing, Adrian found himself standing ominously in the kitchen with the lights turned off. He rested his crossed arms on the counter with a clear view of the door. The only thing for him to concentrate on was the ticking of the clock and the steady drum of his fingers.

He didn’t move when he saw the headlights flash in the window. Didn’t move when he heard the engine turn off outside. Didn’t straighten when the front lock clicked open with a ruckus of keys or when Carter accidentally tripped over the threshold carpet. It was when the front door closed again and Carter came through that he finally looked up.

Carter was obviously tipsy, which explained his less-than-graceful entry, but made things possibly worse than before. So, he could afford to get loose around his big hot-shot business associates while they talked about company things, then? His job hinged on this meeting, but he was able to get inebriated in front of his colleagues?

“Heyyy babe,” Adrian felt fingers in his hair and Carter leaned close to plant a kiss on him no doubt. Instead of allowing it, Adrian stood up, dodging the gesture effectively.

“Do you know a woman named Tanna?” he said scathingly.

Carter looked surprised.

“Uh…well, yeah…She’s one of my clients. Did she…” Carter’s eyes got a fraction wider. “Did she call here?”

“No,” Adrian said, leaning back against the counter behind him. “But I did get the pleasure of meeting her at the supermarket.”

Adrian watched closely as Carter leaned on the counter opposite him. He didn’t seem inherently worried, which was perhaps a good sign. Maybe the woman was a psycho. Maybe she suffered from severe mental illness and delusions.

“Interesting, isn’t she?” Carter said, smirking slightly.

“I suppose. She did say you two were…”

He felt his teeth clench again.

“Were…what?” Carter looked genuinely confused.

“That you…were…” his eyes fell on Carter’s face as he shifted into the light from the hallway. There was a smear of red on his bottom lip. Red that looked hideously familiar from earlier that day. “What…is that.”

“What?”

“She said that you were sleeping together,” Adrian said hollowly. “It’s not…I told her it’s not true, obviously. It’s not…it’s not true. Is it?”

Carter looked shocked, but the guilt that clearly followed was plain as day to Adrian. He felt his stomach simply disappear. Nothing existed anymore.

His eyes burned.

“Tell me it’s not true,” he choked out.

“Babe, of _course_ it’s not true!” Carter said, moving forward again. Adrian moved away, dodging him, and Carter looked as though he had just been run through with a steak knife.

“Are you sure!” he said hysterically, gesturing at Carter’s face. “What is that? Huh? Tell me what that is, if you’re so sure!”

“What are you – ?” Carter looked distressed, until he caught sight of himself in the mirror on the wall beside him in the hallway. His face seemed to grow a shade paler at the sight of the unnatural pinkish tinge to the corner of his mouth. “Adrian – ”

“What Carter?” he felt the tears threatening, but didn’t let them. Not yet. “Don’t _do_ this to me, after everything! I can’t believe it but – don’t – don’t lie to my face about it either! Just tell me what’s going on! What’s going _on_?”

“Look, okay, I know it looks bad, but when she kissed me I had to – ”

“Kissed you?!” Adrian said, throwing his hands up in the air. “Is that all, then? Was that the start to your romantic endeavor into the world of women again, Carter? How long was it before you _fucked_ – ”

“Don’t! Adrian, I didn’t, I swear! She kissed me first, I had nothing to do with it! I didn’t want it at all, and I still don’t!” Carter pleaded.

“Don’t tell me you don’t _want_ it, Carter!” Adrian said while trying to prevent his voice wavering. “Don’t insult me by lying about your ever-there thirst for sex! I enjoyed that about you, you know, I thought we had a good ‘raging-intimacy-thing’ going, but I didn’t think it would actually cause you to go somewhere else! That I wasn’t…wasn’t fucking _enough_!”

Oh no, he could feel the burning in his throat. The sobs hidden in his breath. He couldn’t be here, couldn’t let anyone do this to him and his emotions. His fists clenched and he growled, willing away the agony in order to fuel rage instead.

“Adrian, no, god…Babe, please,” Carter moved forward and Adrian felt arms wrap around him desperately. He shoved them away, hot anger making him shout.

“Get off me!” he felt sick. “Don’t touch me you creep!”

With a hard shove, Carter stumbled, and Adrian felt his own breath escaping in ragged gasps. A short silence fell, Carter staring at the ground and looking ashamed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about her,” he said, his own voice breaking a bit. “I’m sorry we kissed. I’m sorry I lied and screwed up so bad. But you have to trust me when I say that I love y– ”

Adrian felt his fist move with little time to process why. But it struck Carter’s temple, next to the soft dark hair he used to run his fingers through every night, before the man could even finish the sentence.

“Don’t you say that! Don’t you ask me to trust you!” Adrian bellowed as Carter stumbled yet again. “Don’t you _dare_! Just get out of my house!”

“Adrian – ”

“Get OUT!”

The tears in his eyes force him to look down. The ache in his hand distracts him as well, until he hears the click of the front door. Finally allowing himself to break down completely, he slides slowly down the cabinets and lands on the tiled floor of his beautiful kitchen. The kitchen he and Carter had decorated. The kitchen he made breakfast in countless times before, serving two of his happy boys, smiles all around the table as they felt like they could stay there forever.

Grasping handfuls of his own hair desperately, Adrian felt the tears flow and the sobs finally burst from his lungs.


	6. For Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this chapter is illustrated by [VyTheFirst](http://vythefirst.tumblr.com/)!

Carter sat on his porch. The porch that he technically owned half of, yet was cast out upon due to the evil orchestrations of a very evil woman.

He wondered if he even owned half of the porch now, since there was enough evidence here to convict him of adultery. Well, at least there was enough evidence for Adrian to believe it.

God, how could he have been so stupid? Not even all of this disaster was necessarily Tanna’s fault. If he had simply _told_ Adrian in the first place, informed his husband of what was really going on from the beginning, Carter wouldn’t be in this mess. He would probably be jobless, but at least he would have his family…

He deserved it. He deserved this even if he wasn’t being unfaithful to his husband. He had lied directly to Adrian’s face for several weeks now, pretending to go to ‘business dinners’ when in reality seeing a woman and talking about mundane things. It didn’t matter that he was trying to keep her at bay. It didn’t matter that he kept her talking and occasionally suffered through a sickening ‘goodbye kiss’. In reality, that was just as bad as having sex with her, for all the secrecy and deception involved. He felt his eyes watering slightly, which probably would have become full-out crying if he didn’t have the thankful numbness associated with his buzz.

He pulled out his phone and pressed his third speed-dial.

_“Yo?”_

“Hey, Mike, you busy?”

_“Well I’m about to head home. Why, what’s up? Haven’t heard from you in a while.”_

“Yeah, sorry man, I’ve been having problems with...well…is it okay if…” he sighed laboriously “…if you come pick me up?”

_“I feel like this is some weird flash-back to your ‘rebellious’ phase in high school when you went to all those damn parties, but then we found out that you can’t hold your booze. Why, what did you almost-do this time?”_

“Not almost,” Carter said, dropping his head to his free hand. He heard a lengthy sigh on the other end.

_“Alright. I’ll be there in ten.”_

~

Adrian sat, his hand hurting, his eyes stinging worse due to the exhaustion from crying so hard, and his stomach sending waves of nausea throughout his body. He felt sick. He felt tired. He felt empty.

He examined his knuckles, which were bruised and bleeding, and off in the distance just managed to make out a blurry, small figure clad in blue pyjamas. Adrian hurriedly ran his hand over his eyes, pushing the tears out of sight in order not to scare his son.

“Vinny, you should be in bed,” he rasped, keeping another sob from coming to the surface.

“Sorry Papa,” Vinny said in a tiny voice. Adrian could see the stuffed monkey hanging from his loose grasp, dragging on the ground a bit.

Honestly, he was too tired to get up. He truly didn’t know if his legs could even hold him yet, so Adrian just sort of sat there and wished that Vinny would turn away. He didn’t have the energy to be strong in front of him right now. He couldn’t even be strong for himself.

But Vinny shuffled forward and dropped to his knees in front of him, abandoning Little Vinny along the way. Short arms tried to wrap around him, but only managed to get about halfway in a hug, which Adrian returned.

He was tired of the lies, tired of worrying, tired of the uncertainty about everything. He was angry too, but with Vinny there, it at least took a bit of the pain away. Enough that he was able to sit up fully and finally drag himself shakily to his feet.

“Let’s go to bed,” he muttered, grabbing Vinny’s hand and leading them to the master bedroom.

They settled in, under the large fluffy comforter with the large fluffy pillows. He, Vinny, and Little Vinny side-by-side. It wasn’t long before he heard the slow, deep breaths that indicated Vinny had already drifted off again. Adrian turned over, staring at the only person he had left in his broken little family, and pretended to fall asleep too.

~

Due to Mike’s good graces and lack of having ‘settled down’ with anyone, he allowed Carter to crash at his place for a while. Carter wasn’t quite sure how long ‘a while’ was supposed to be, at least a few days for sure while Adrian calmed down, but he knew he could get the truth through if Adrian just listened for a moment. Maybe Adrian would even apologize for punching him. Carter didn’t want to think that he had deserved it, but he knew full well that he did.

However, Adrian had never really been known for violence, least of all towards the ones he loved, and that scared Carter a bit. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to make this right. Maybe Adrian wouldn’t listen anymore…

Carter went to work in the same suit, his briefcase full of work-important documents having still been in his car from the night before. He hadn’t filed his paperwork from yesterday, but he found little motivation to care about it. In fact, he found little motivation to care about anything, really. Meeting clients, talking about money…it all seemed so trivial compared to what he lost. Why was he even here? Why was he not at home?

This job took everything from him. It took his youth, it took his time, and now due to a particular client, it had taken away his family. He had to get out of here, had to do something about this –

“Mr. Brooks?” the man across from him said impatiently. His walrus-like appearance was usually enough to hold Carter’s interest, but he had honestly not heard a word the man said since his arrival.

“Uh – …uh yes!” Carter said, jolting back to his thoughts. Think business-y things. Banks. Money. Anything to keep from spiraling down into depression…

“I was saying that the new line at Duracorp looks promising, if you think we could afford…”

Yeah. He could _not_ handle this.

As soon as the client had left, looking slightly agitated at Carter’s lackluster responses, he sighed in relief and sank down into his chair. He didn’t know if he could stand feeling like this for however long it would be until Adrian spoke to him again, if that even happened. The crushing guilt and overall will to shrink back into a shell and never come out was almost overwhelming. And yet, he was expected to put on a brave face and talk finances. Investments. Banking.

It was this that had gotten him into trouble in the first place. His relationships with his clients, being known as a big shot fancy-dancy money-maker that got him tons of referrals. The good attention had brought with it some unwanted advances too, and now his family was in shambles because of it. Why did he ever play into that harpy’s hands? Why, why, why…

“Ugh…why…” Carter groaned into the surface of his desk. He was slumped over ungracefully, wishing for time to go faster, or maybe for the floor to just open up and swallow him whole. At least he couldn’t hurt anyone anymore if that happened…

He spent the next few minutes wallowing, wishing to not exist, and wanting to go _home_.

“Brooks…”

He jumped so hard that his head slammed back down onto the polished surface of his desk, making an unpleasant cracking noise.

“Uh, sorry.”

“Yes…yessir,” Carter said, reeling through the pain and clutching at his forehead. He recognized the voice of the branch manager, but was unable to see through his eyes watering. He couldn’t remember if that had started before or after he hit his head though…

“Brooks were you sleeping?” said his boss, sounding somewhat disapproving. He was relatively laid back for someone so high up the ladder, but Carter doubted he would tolerate people napping on the job.

“No, Mr. Weston. I was just…” Carter paused, momentarily forgetting the pain. What was he supposed to say, here? Launch into a story about everything that had gone horribly wrong the past few weeks? He should just say he was sleeping, it would certainly raise fewer questions, and it would only be one more lie to throw onto the ever-growing pile anyway…

In his hesitation, Mr. Weston appeared to be still in real-time and jabbed a thumb behind him. That always meant ‘Office’.

Only bad employees actually went _in_ to his office, and they usually left it with a cardboard box. Carter swallowed, registered defeat, and slowly got up to follow him. This was it. This was the end.

“Sit down, Brooks.”

_Oh god._

He sat.

“Now Brooks, usually I don’t delve too much into my employees’ personal lives, aside from the basics. ‘How’s the wife – er, husband’,” his boss shrugged apologetically, “stuff like that. Stocks are great, money circulation is on the up. But with the way your clients have been leaving complaints, and the way your approval rating has plummeted the last few days, I can’t help but notice your performance is suffering.”

Carter blanched as though his boss had hurled a stone at him. It sure felt like one, anyway. He had never had a bad performance review, had always gotten good approval from customers even if he missed a number or two in the books. They liked how friendly he was, how personal. And lately he had been thinking only of himself, and his sorrows, and everything he had done wrong in the past few weeks.

And he had been thinking a lot about…Tanna.

Weston looked him up-and-down, in that studying way Carter had gotten used to over the years. Usually he returned it in mocking imitation, and his boss would laugh. Now it just made him feel hollow.

“You’re one of the best Investors I have, and I know you put your all into this work,” Weston reasoned. “So, I guess what I’m getting at here is, what’s the deal?”

“I’m having…issues at home,” Carter said blandly. Even to him it sounded outrageously dumbed-down. Mr. Weston gave him a flat look.

“No Brooks,” he said sternly, in a just-say-what-it-is-and-be-a-man voice. “What is it?”

Carter held his gaze stubbornly. Weston held it back, but with the practiced heir of years accumulated playing hardball. Carter sighed, once again admitting defeat, and figured now was the time to break apart if any. What else did he even have to lose…

“Alright,” Carter took a shaky breath and slumped back in the chair, defeated. “Alright. Sir, it’s just…one of my clients. She…took a liking to me that I couldn’t quite…return.”

He gulped, wiping his palms on his pant-legs, and felt the dam begin to crack.

“I mean, I’m a married man! I know to some people they don’t count me as one, but I’m faithful to the man I’m with. Not to mention, he’s just that, a _man_ ,” he scoffed. “She was a very nice lady, I’m sure, but I just couldn’t accept…whatever the hell she was offering. Well, I _know_ what she was offering,” Carter felt his mouth twist unpleasantly, “but I didn’t want to think about it, and I refused in the most professional way I could. I figured, you know, I might lose a client, but that’s okay, it happens sometimes.”

He drew a rattling breath. “But she just kept pushing it and pushing it…she was calling me at home… Ugh, even when I was…” he closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it, “well, when I was with my family. And I just couldn’t do that anymore, so I may have said some things to try and get her to…leave me alone. I know it was pretty rude, what I said, but what else could I do?!”

He ran a hand through his hair agitatedly. “And then she threatened to…to tell people that I was some sexual deviant who like, harassed _her_ or something, which was ridiculous because I mean look what _she_ was doing! But then I thought if Adrian caught wind of that total _lie_ he would think I was cheating or something, and he’d never trust me,” he rambled.

“So I tried to like, keep her at bay by going to dinners with her or something, I don’t know, it was fucking stupid. But she still kept pushing it, making me feel like this total _sleezeball_ and I was basically already cheating on Adrian at this point anyways because I was _seeing a woman that he had no knowledge of_ , and who even fucking does that?! Some gross asshole who’s too afraid to stand up for himself, that’s who!” He knew his voice kept rising, growing with all the aggression and helplessness he had felt for so long, but the dam was loose and it was all coming out. “And then she _talked to Adrian_ and told him everything, probably hoping he’d get rid of me or something so that she can have me all to herself like a fucking _weirdo_ , and that’s exactly what he did. He kicked me out, and now I’m staying with this guy that I haven’t talked to in forever and its weird and I just want to have my own shower and my own bed and just be home! I just want to go home…But I can’t.”

Carter sat, panting, feeling more elated than he had in weeks now that it was all off his chest. It did little to quell the searing emptiness that still resided in his chest, but it was a start, he supposed. At last, the truth was out.

“It’s all because of her, sir,” he said, realizing his tone probably hadn’t been too work-appropriate. “I know she’s a client and it’s important to keep face and everything, but I can’t. I just can’t, it’s ruined my family and I just…I just can’t do it anymore.”

“Brooks,” Mr. Weston spoke through a sigh. “I can’t believe you didn’t mention this sooner. You let this escalate way farther than it needed to. I expected better from you as a professional in this field and as a married man with a _son_.”

“I know,” Carter said miserably. He had done all the self-loathing a thousand times over, he didn’t need to hear it again.

“That being said,” Weston continued, “I feel it’s safe to say that Ms. Tanna will not be utilizing our services any longer.”

Carter looked up at him, searching. “You’re…really gonna lose her as a client?”

“You do know that it’s basically sexual harassment, right?” Weston said, if a bit condescendingly. He did have a slight smile, however. One that said ‘I can do whatever the hell I want’. “I’m not going to have her terrorizing you, Brooks. I’m not going to risk her terrorizing anyone else, either. I’ll write up a report, which will flag her for future businesses to watch out for, and threaten to press charges. I probably won’t, but that should scare her enough to never come back here, at least.”

“But isn’t she worth like fifty millio – ”

“I’ve lost more than that in one day, Brooks,” his boss said, waving a hand. “And while it’s a lot, and she is highly regarded, we do have other clients. And we’ll have more, and you can make that money back in no time with your skills. You’re an asset on your own, Carter. It was her that made you a liability.”

“I – ” Carter swallowed hard. He almost couldn’t believe it, it was…over. “I – oh my god, th-thank you, sir. I just…thank you.”

Mr. Weston smiled genuinely this time, standing from his desk.

“I don’t usually do this, but I can see that perhaps a bit of healing time is needed. Why don’t you eat some bad shellfish for lunch, get some mild food-poisoning, and take the afternoon off while I write up the report.”

“Sure,” Carter said, taking the hint and standing as well. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me, sir. Thank you so much.”

He nodded. “Adrian’s a good man, Brooks. I met him at the Christmas party, and I’m sure he’s one you want to keep. You take care of that family, and I want you here tomorrow with good news.”

“Yes sir,” Carter said, feeling better than he had in weeks. “I will.”

He had to keep from skipping as he walked down the hall to his own office. He even smiled to a few interns and the guy who came to fix the copy machine. It was all over. He could keep his job, and it wouldn’t even be hellish anymore with Tanna gone. Things were looking up. He only hoped he could keep his family together too.

“Casey, cancel the rest of my appointments for today, I’m feeling a bit ill,” he said cheerfully into his office phone’s receiver. “Weston gave me the afternoon off.”

“Ill, sure,” she said skeptically, though in a semi-lighthearted I-don’t-give-a-shit way. “Well I just sent one up, so you’ll have to tell her yourself, but I got the others.”

Carter only had a few seconds afforded to confusion before a red suit, bearing within the devil incarnate, slipped inside his door.

“Oh God.”

“Not what they usually call me, but I like the compliment,” she smirked, her red lips turning up slightly at the corner. “I missed you…”

Carter barely held in a wretch as he hung up the phone, forgetting that Casey was probably still waiting for a response. He moved around his desk, gathering up his things, and said, “I’d like it if you left my office. You’ve done enough damage for one lifetime.”

“Oh Carter honey, don’t be like that,” she said, pouting in a manner that he guessed was meant to be seductive. “All I want is to be with you, why won’t you give me a chance?”

“I’ve given you chances lady, all of them unwillingly,” he snarled, shoving a folder into his briefcase.

“I don’t believe that,” she said quietly. “I know you, Carter, and you’re the greatest man I’ve ever loved. You – ”

“Stop that!” he moved away from her polished nails, which had been pawing at his sleeve. “Look, you’re very beautiful Tanna…” she looked up, batting her long eyelashes hopefully. It made Carter grit his teeth. “And I’m sure any other man would find you very attractive. But, the fact remains that you’re just…a bad person.”

Her eyes widened comically, and he probably would have laughed if he wasn’t so serious about the point he was trying to make.

“You’re a horrible, horrible person Tanna, and I hope that no one is ever unfortunate enough to love you,” he continued. “I’m sorry, if you hadn’t done so much to ruin my life for your own selfish gain, I would actually feel bad saying it. But the way you’ve so royally _fucked_ me in every sense but the literal,” he took a deep breath, reeling in the rage that had accumulated for weeks, “I just can’t feel bad about telling you the truth. You’re awful, this is all over, and I hope you remain bitterly alone for the rest of your goddamn life.”

He closed his briefcase with a finite snap, and the look on her face was so priceless that Carter wished dearly he could take a picture. But he didn’t want to remember this moment. He didn’t want to remember any of it. All he wanted was his family back, and for this lady to have never walked through his office door in the first place.

Carter walked to the door and placed a hand on the doorknob, ready to leave this all behind him. Unfortunately, he heard that slippery voice once more, and it was low with the threat of danger.

“Are you quitting, then? Packing up and leaving here? I won’t just ruin you for this firm, you know. I’ll ruin you for the whole damn country.” He turned and saw her frowning at him. It was probably the only time he had ever seen her without that fake, simpering smile. “You’ll never work again with the charges I’ll press against you. Not unless it’s picking apples in some low-life orchard, making ten cents a day. You walk out on me, and your life will be hell,” she threatened. She looked confused when he just smirked.

“I’m not quitting,” he said simply, and left it at that.

The walk to the elevator was liberating. Pressing the down button felt like a defibrillator to the chest, spurring him on to keep living, keep trying. With that woman gone, he could handle life again, he could talk to Adrian and beg for forgiveness, he could try to salvage a marriage that was broken by mistrust and deceit. Maybe, he could get his heart back in one piece instead of laying shattered on his kitchen floor.

He scrambled for his cell phone in his pocket and pressed the first speed dial. Somewhere, he imagined Muse playing from tiny speakers as a phone vibrated across the counter, and Adrian looking at it in disgust and not bothering to pick it up.

_“Hello?”_

“Oh god, Adrian,” he said desperately, not even knowing what to say since he actually answered this time. “Please, I have to talk to you, you have to let me – ”

_“Come home,”_ said a tearful voice on the other end. Carter started, looking at the phone as if it would provide him answers. Instead, it clicked to signal the end of the call.

~

He drove like a maniac, but no one had to know that. He forgot his briefcase on the elevator too, but he realized mid-drive and there was no way he was turning around. All he cared about was getting home as quickly as possible, and that was what he did.

He knocked frantically on the door. His door. The door he had once thought was firmly closed to him forever.

A red, hiccoughing, tear-stained Adrian opened it from the other side, and half-heartedly opened his arms in invitation. Carter immediately took it and launched himself forward, hugging his husband.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Carter stammered over and over, feeling his own eyes well up at the sight of his defeated husband. He had caused Adrian so much emotional trauma, and yet he was able to still feel him in his arms like this…

“I know,” Adrian sobbed, gripping him tighter. “You’re such a fucking douchebag and I hate you!”

“I know,” Carter said immediately. He could take whatever Adrian said to him now, even a few more punches if need be. At least it was a start, he could maybe still be forgiven if this were any indication.

“I hate you so much,” Adrian murmured. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you explain whatever this shit was to me so I could…the shit you put me through, thinking you had some…some whore all over you and I just…what was I supposed to think?”

“I know babe, I know, god I’m _so_ fucking...I’m sorry, baby, that’s all I can say…” he pleaded into Adrian’s thick hair. “I’m so fucking sorry…”

“Just…just shut up and get in here you dick,” Adrian pushed him away roughly, wiping his eyes. “Tell me everything that happened, and don’t you _dare_ lie to me this time. I still haven’t decided if I can even look at your goddamn face anymore…”

Carter knew the threat was probably very real, but he couldn’t help but smile at the chance he was being given. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and he knew Adrian still had a ways to go before he would trust Carter again, but with a chance to finally explain himself and tell the truth, Carter felt better than ever.

~

“So what changed your mind, anyways?”

Carter and Adrian sat on their porch, tears finally having dried and hearts on the way to mending. He had explained everything in as great of detail as he could, even the forced advances which had made Adrian look a bit grey in the face, and Adrian had accepted his story. It wasn’t without yelling, asking him why he hadn’t just come out with it in the first place, wondering why he felt the need to hide it for weeks, and screaming yet again that he had driven Adrian to near insanity with the heart-crushing betrayal he had felt.

And Carter had known, of course, said he was scared once the lies were too deep in, and more sorry than Adrian could ever know. He had known the pain he caused his family, known that Vinny probably wondered where his other father was for days, and that Adrian had to face the truth every time in Vinny’s questioning eyes. But eventually, Adrian accepted the facts for what they were, said he had seen the stress in Carter’s body during the weeks that he had been under Tanna’s vice-like grip. He wasn’t happy about any of it, and still had the air of a man who had been hurt by the one he loved, but Adrian finally gave reluctant forgiveness, and said he was probably insane for doing so.

But he had. Something had changed Adrian’s mind and given Carter a chance to make it right again.

“Vinny did, sort of,” Adrian said flatly, staring out at the yard. “He told me about when he went with you to career day. When that…woman,” he bit out, “kissed you.”

“Oh…” Carter said, realizing that was basically when it all started.

“He said you looked grossed-out,” Adrian added, laughing. “I mean, I seriously doubted you would make a move on someone in front of him, and I think that also made me realize that I knew you wouldn’t do that to me... I mean I still think you’re a huge asshole,” he said a bit too venomously to be joking, “but now that I think about it, I should have put more faith in you too.” His expressions softened. “I should have found out everything before I made my judgments. I’m sorry, Carter.”

“I’m sorry too,” he said for about the hundredth time.

“And I’m sorry for punching you.”

“Yeah, that like _really_ hurt…”

“…Don’t push it.”

Carter laughed, leaning over for a kiss. At first he thought Adrian was still too mad to kiss him, but was relieved when the other man smiled and leaned in as well. It was in soft, warm lips and a gentle embrace with Adrian’s free hand that Carter finally felt at home.

A car drove up when they broke apart, and the door was thrown open before it had even come to a complete stop. Carter realized it was Maria’s van.

“Daddyyyy!” came a squeal as tiny feet tore through the grass. Carter felt Vinny collide with his chest in a huge hug, which he returned by dramatically growling and standing to swing him back-and-forth.

“Hey little man,” he said, setting the wildly giggling child down.

“Hi Daddy,” he said back breathlessly. His smile faded in a way that was almost too mature for his age. Carter hated the look of worry that replaced it. He hated instilling doubt in his son, who had probably been worrying about him for days.

Vinny looked up anxiously, then stood as high as he could on his toes to reach Carter. He whispered closely, “Are you staying home now Daddy?”

Carter looked over at Adrian, who nodded while sipping his iced tea, and smiled.

“Yeah buddy, I’m staying for good.”

                                        


End file.
